Blacktown tattoo parlour fire: Police release CCTV of two men

CCTV has captured the moment a man ignited a huge fireball around the back of a western Sydney tattoo parlour. Police are hunting two men in the footage after the ‘cowardly’ attack on innocent, family-run businesses.

Police have released CCTV of the moment a western Sydney tattoo parlour was set on fire.

The footage shows two figures around the rear of Blacktown Tattoo Studio at Sunnyholt Rd, Blacktown, about 1.30am on June 22 this year.

One of the men looks up towards the CCTV camera

The pair is seen inspecting the back of the business before appearing to climb on to an object at the side of the building.

One man is seen pouring liquid on the building as the other looks on

One man then produces a can of liquid which he throws onto the building.

He is seen to attempt to ignite the liquid before moving away.

Seconds later he returns and successfully lights the liquid, with a huge fireball filling the CCTV image.

The men are then seen running from the scene as the fire spreads, and left a jerry can at the site.

On arrival officers found the premises, including an adjoining toilet, alight.

NSW Fire and Rescue put out the flames and a crime scene was established and forensically examined, including the collection of a jerry can.

The business sustained minimal damage, and no one was injured.

The men – depicted wearing face coverings, gloves and hooded jumpers, one of whom has a distinctive ‘CK’ on the back – were seen near Humphries Lane between 1am and 1.20am and last seen heading toward Prince St shortly after the fire broke out.

CCTV captures the moment of the explosion

CCTV captures the blaze.

Raptor Squad commander Detective Superintendent Jason Weinstein said the unit took hold of the investigation from Blacktown police after two attempted arson attacks at homes in Kellyville Ridge and Minchinbury in June.

Police said the homes belonged to former Mongols bikies who were reluctant to speak with them but were targeted as part of an ongoing feud with the rival Finks bikies.

Supt Weinstein ruled out any outlaw motorcycle group activity between the tattoo and butcher shop owners at Sunnyholt Rd.

“In essence we have two family businesses which have been impacted by cowards who want to sneak through the night streets and conduct arson attacks ...’’.

“They are fearful that this behaviour could occur there again.’

Supt Weinstein said the motive was unclear and urged the public to come forward with dashcam footage if they were around the fire scene about 1.20am.

“The danger that they pose to family businesses in the middle of a pandemic, who are doing it tough in the first instance, highlights the dangers that outlaw motorcycle groups cause to society,’’ he said.

“The fact that they are willingly, through negligence or recklessness willing to torture, arson businesses that have nothing to do with their perceived conflicts should highlight to the community that we need their help.

“There needs to be a point in time where the community should not tolerate acts of public violence on people who are intent on destroying the economy, destroying other businesses for whatever motive they want.’’

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