Police believe gang wars are behind a spate of recent Melbourne firebomb attacks, which saw one person setting fire to himself.
CCTV footage shows at least three men using hammers to break the glass of Sonsa supermarket on June 29, then pouring accelerant into the store. One man then accidentally set fire to himself, frantically waving the flames away while he raced back to a waiting car.
The man then got into a waiting car, with his clothing still alight as it left the scene.
Detective Inspector Chris Murray from the Arson and Explosives Squad told 9News these criminals do not put “a lot of thought” into the fires.
“They target a premises and from that, members of the community are clearly put at risk.”
A total of nine arson attacks across the Australian city in the past two and a half weeks are believed to be linked to Middle Eastern organised crime groups.
Another fire threatened the lives of five people who were inside a Melbourne home that was set alight in the early hours of the morning.
After a rival associate tried to step in, his home was also torched.
The city has also seen the vehicles and a prestige car dealership set alight, an act that caused over $1.07 million in damages.
Police said they are amazed that no one has been physically injured or killed as a result of these fires.
“It is only sheer luck that one of these fires hasn't resulted in the death or serious injury of someone,” Murray said.
“It's clear they have been lit with very little regard for the safety of anyone else in these areas at the time.”
Members of three of the state's toughest police forces- the anti-bikie Echo Taskforce, gang-focused VIPER Taskforce and the Arson and Explosives Squad – are uniting in an effort to extinguish the crimes.
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