By Chelsea Szabo and Mikayla Van Loon
A pair of “deliberate, coordinated, and highly dangerous” arson attacks causing over $25 million in damage in Kilsyth and Bayswater remain under investigation.
Knox Crime Investigation Unit detectives are now appealing for information on the two deliberately lit factory fires.
Detective inspector Glen Cruse told media on Wednesday the police believe the two attacks are connected.
“We’re confident the fires are linked because of the methodology of the offending, the timing of the morning, the proximity of timing between the fires, the fact that there’s familial links between the businesses,” the detective inspector said.
The first fire occurred at Paramount Blinds on Melrich Road, Bayswater, and the second at Dollar Curtains and Blinds on Canterbury Road, Kilsyth.
The fires occurred just over a week apart, at 4am on 23 December 2024 and 3am on 1 January 2025.
“In both incidents, it is believed a group of unknown male offenders gained access to the premises, brought petrol inside, and deliberately set the buildings alight,” Detective inspector Cruse said.
As part of the ongoing investigation, police are seeking any information from the public on the four vehicles that were seen around the time of the attacks. These are:
A blue, 2012 Toyota Camry sedan seen travelling inbound on Eastlink at approximately 3.30am and captured on CCTV at the Bayswater premises on 23 December. It was later seen on Mountain Highway in Bayswater. Found by police on 17 January, it had been abandoned for three days in Jubilee Park, Frankston.
A white, 2017 Mitsubishi Eclipse wagon captured on CCTV at 3am at the Kilsyth factory on 1 January. It was found burnt out on Deals Road, Clayton South on 29 January.
A white, 2016 Toyota Prado four-wheel drive captured on CCTV at 3am at the Kilsyth factory on 1 January. Found burnt out at Greaves Reserve, Dandenong on 3 January.
An “older model white van” seen entering the Greaves Reserve with the 2016 Toyota Prado.
Detective inspector Cruse said as well as the costs of these fires, many employees have been impacted and people could have been killed.
“It’s not just the owners that are affected by the fires,” he said.
“There’s over 100 employees that are employed between both businesses that are affected”.
“There is a deliberate disregard for the safety of anyone that may have been located within those factories”.
If you have information on these attacks, contact the Knox Crime Investigation Unit on (03) 9881 7999.
