Brimbank Crime Investigation Unit detectives have arrested five more people following a series of alleged incidents at tobacco stores in Pakenham, Deer Park and Patterson Lakes over the last eight months.
Detectives, with members from the Brimbank Divisional Response Unit and North West Metro Crime Squad, executed search warrants at addresses in Craigieburn, Lalor, Bundoora and Wollert on the morning of Tuesday 22 March.
The warrants follow a series of fires that caused more than $10 million in damage to businesses across metropolitan Melbourne.
The initial incident occurred inside a shopping centre on Main Street, Pakenham in August 2021.
The second occurred on Station Road in Deer Park, also in August, followed by a third at a shopping centre on Thompsons Road, Patterson Lakes in February.
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, committing an indictable offence whilst on bail and one count of contravene certain conduct condition – bail.
A 20-year-old Wollert man has been charged with two counts each of intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary and committing an 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 committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
A 25-year-old Craigieburn woman has been charged with intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary and committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
All four faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 22 March.
An 18-year-old Bundoora woman has been charged with possessing a prohibited weapon without exemption and has been bailed to appear at the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 30 June.
