Detectives from Taskforce Lunar have charged a man overnight following an arson attack at a Craigieburn tobacco store in December.
A 32-year-old Epping man was arrested on Spencer Street in Docklands shortly before 11am yesterday (Thursday 6 February).
He was interviewed by police and charged with arson and theft of motor vehicle.
The man will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.
With the assistance of the VIPER Taskforce, search warrants were subsequently executed at residential addresses in Glenroy, Reservoir and Epping.
A 25-year-old Reservoir man was interviewed by police and is expected to be charged on summons.
The charges follow an incident where emergency services were called to a blaze at the Craigieburn Road centre about 3.30am on Tuesday, 10 December.
A number of men can be seen exiting a black Holden Commodore which parks directly outside the store, before throwing an accelerant into the store and setting it alight.
The shop sustained significant damage during the fire.
The same vehicle was stolen from an address in Bundoora around 1.20am that morning.
It is then captured on CCTV at a petrol station in Bundoora at 1.26am.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with any information about serious and organised crime linked to the illicit tobacco trade is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
