Food van parked at Mile End home destroyed in arson attack after police raid
Investigators believe a food van parked at a Mile End property that was recently raided by police was the target of an arson attack.
A food van at a Mile End house raided by police last week in connection to a murder inquiry has been destroyed by fire in suspicious circumstances.
Police and MFS crews were dispatched to the house about 3.30am this morning after a neighbour reported that a kebab van was on fire.
The van, which was believed to be uninsured, was parked in the front yard of a property targeted by STAR Force officers on Friday as part of an investigation into an alleged murder.
It is understood the van only appeared at the property in recent weeks.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
No one was injured in the incident.
Police suspect the fire was deliberately lit and are investigating the incident.
Crime scene officers attended the scene this morning.
A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said he did not hear a car at the time of the incident and believed whoever was responsible for the fire was on foot.
“It was probably a molotov cocktail and it went ‘bang’ and lit up the van,” he said.
“I came out and within a minute, the whole thing was engulfed in flames.”
The neighbour said the incident, in the wake of the police raid last week, was worrying.
“All the neighbours are scared because we don’t have anything like this happen very often in this street,” he said.
Another neighbour, Andrew, who asked that his last name not be published, said he also heard “loud bangs” and saw “the front of (the van) all engulfed”.
“It’s a bit nerve-wracking,” he said.
“When this sort of thing happens it gets you on edge a bit — you’re worried about your own safety.”
Andrew said the street was usually quite but the targeted house had come to the attention of police in recent years.
He said STAR Group officers raided the property a couple of years ago when friends of fugitive Rodney Clavell lived there.
Police believe the fire was deliberately lit and ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.