MORE arrests have been made in relation to a series of fires at tobacco stores in the last eight months.
A fire at a Lakeview Shopping Centre tobacco store on 9 February gutted multiple businesses. Two men were arrested in relation to the blaze on 7 March.
As part of their investigation into three fires allegedly lit at tobacco stores, police have made five more arrests.
A 20-year-old Lalor man has been charged with two counts each of intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary, commit indictable offence whilst on bail and one count of contravene certain conduct condition – bail. A 20-year-old Wollert man was charged with two counts each of intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary, and commit indictable offence whilst on bail. A 20-year-old Lalor man has been charged with intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary, and commit indictable offence whilst on bail, and a 25-year-old Craigieburn woman has been charged with intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary, and commit indictable offence whilst on bail.
The two other tobacco store fires were in Pakenham and Deer Park.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 30 March 2022