Bendigo: Police hunt man who set fire to sleeping teen’s bedroom
A search is under way in Central Victoria for a man who set fire to a sleeping teen’s bedroom in the dead of the night. Watch the video.
Bendigo
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bendigo. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A search is under way for a man who set fire to a Bendigo home while a teenage girl and her father slept inside.
Investigators believe the man approached the Holdsworth Rd home and used a cigarette lighter to set fire to a weatherboard outside the 16-year-old girl’s bedroom about 1am on Friday, 22 July.
The girl woke to find her room full of smoke and raised the alarm to her 52-year-old father, who then called emergency services.
Country Fire Authority members were called and extinguished the blaze.
No one was physically injured during the incident.
Police have released CCTV of a man who appears to be setting the home on fire in the hope someone may recognise him.
He is described as having a medium build and was wearing a hoodie and work boots.
Police are yet to establish a motive behind the attack and are unsure whether it is related to other arson offences.
Senior Constable Ashley Sutton on Thursday said the brazen nature of the offence was concerning for the Bendigo community.
“The sheer brazenness of an offence like this, where the offender has overtly walked up to the house to light it on fire, it’s a concern for us, it’s a concern for the greater Bendigo community, and we’re just so lucky that this didn’t end in tragedy,” he told reporters in Bendigo.
CCTV footage shows the alleged offender make an unsuccessful first attempt to set the home alight from the front of the house before he moves down the side of the building to set a weatherboard ablaze with a cigarette lighter, Sen Con Sutton said.
“We’re so lucky the teenage girl was woken up by the smoke,” he added.
“If it wasn’t for her calling triple-0 and the immediate action of the firefighters and police on the night, it could’ve been a completely different story.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimes Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestoppersvic.com.au.
15yo car thief gets 55th chance on bail after alleged crime spree
One of Central Victoria’s most prolific car thieves has been released on his 55th count of bail as police warn his alleged Bendigo crime sprees are escalating.
Read more
‘Reputable’ Bendigo brewery boss busted in drink driving crash
A “very reputable” owner of a Bendigo brewery has been busted crashing his car while drink driving at almost four times the limit.
Read more