By DANIEL TRAN
POLICE say a series of fires lit across the cities of Greater Dandenong and Monash last week could have been disastrous.
Detective Senior Constable Lara Murray of Dandenong crime investigation unit said the fires, lit in bins in Mulgrave, Noble Park and Noble Park North, were serious.
“They were close to buildings,” she said. “It could have been much worse.”
Eight fires were started in the suburbs, including one at the Salvation Army store on Princes Highway in Noble Park North that blew out the windows.
The first fire was lit at 11.52pm last Monday at a store in Jacksons Road in Noble Park North. The firebugs then moved to Police Road in Mulgrave and set two dumpsters ablaze at the Waverley Gardens shopping centre.
Between about 2am and 4am, fires were set in bins at the Salvation Army, the Noble Park North McDonald’s, the Noble Park KFC, and a 7-Eleven service station on the corner of Princes Highway and Corrigan Road. The last fire was started at a residential address.
Detective Senior Constable Murray said police believed the fires were linked. She called for any witnesses to come forward, including four men in a silver VY Holden Commodore.
Anyone with information about the fires can
call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Pair charged over petrol bomb
Police have charged a 23-year-old man and 20-year-old woman for allegedly making a petrol bomb.
The pair face charges of possessing an item to cause damage or injury. Police also expect to charge them with making an explosive substance. The Glen Waverley pair were arrested about 4.30am on May 25 in Greaves Reserve at the Dandenong Showgrounds.
Police were patrolling the area when they noticed a suspicious car with a petrol bomb next to it.
The pair will face the Dandenong Magistrate’s Court on September 26.
