Ute doused in petrol and set alight in driveway on Reigate Rd in Highton

A ute was doused in petrol and set alight in an apparent arson attack late on Tuesday night.

The remains of two burnt cars in the driveway of a Reigate Rd Highton property. Picture: Alison Wynd

A third car has been set alight in a driveway overnight in Greater Geelong, with emergency services called to a Jan Juc home to find the car set alight.

A Country Fire Authority (CFA) spokesman said crews were called to the car fire on Marner Close at 2.37am at Jan Juc, with three trucks on scene.

“The incident was brought under control at 2.51am and declared safe at 3.14am,” the spokesman said.

He said the scene was handed to Victoria Police due to suspicious circumstances.

A car destroyed by fire in the driveway of a Jan Juc house in Marner Close. Picture: Alison Wynd

The incident follows a car fire in a residential driveway on Reigate Rd in Highton about 11.50pm on Tuesday night.

Police were called to the scene after a ute on the leafy suburban street was doused with petrol before being set alight in an apparent arson attack.

It’s understood two men doused the ute in petrol and lit it before fleeing from the scene holding a jerry can.

The fire also spread to a neighbouring vehicle in the driveway.

One neighbour said they were woken up by car alarms at the property, and heard footsteps running from the scene.

After a few minutes they heard a “huge bang” which they assumed to be the fuel tank of one of the cars exploding.

The remains of two burnt cars in the driveway of a Reigate Rd Highton property. Picture: Alison Wynd

Too afraid to venture outside, they could see the light of the flames from their window, which were higher than the house the cars were parked in front of.

Reigate Rd, which snakes through Highton’s affluent Barrabool Hills area, was a quiet scene on Wednesday morning.

The ute remained in the driveway fully burnt out with windows smashed, while a white Subaru Outback parked beside it was also significantly damaged by the blaze.

Two bins at the property were almost completely melted.

The destroyed rubbish bins beside a car torched in the driveway of a Reigate Rd Highton property. Picture: Alison Wynd

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Geelong Crime Investigation Unit detectives were investigating the exact circumstances of the incident.

It comes after a car fire in Leopold early on Tuesday morning sparked a police investigation, following reports the vehicle was allegedly stolen from an Ocean Grove address.

Emergency services were called to reports that the car was fully engulfed in flames on the road outside an address on Bawtree Rd about 12.20am on Tuesday morning.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police were investigating the fire as suspicious.

“It is believed the vehicle was stolen from an address in Ocean Grove the previous day,” the spokeswoman said.

“The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.”

Anyone with information regarding either fire or anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the areas is urged to call Crime Stoppers.

Originally published as Ute doused in petrol and set alight in driveway on Reigate Rd in Highton