Explosion, fire damages Kittens strip club, Caulfield South
UPDATE: A BIKIE gang is trying to blackmail, extort and take over the security industry in Melbourne, investigators into the Kittens strip club explosion believe.
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THE anti-bikie Echo taskforce believes one bikie gang is trying to blackmail, extort and take over the security industry in Melbourne, as an investigation into the Kittens strip club explosion continues.
The Caulfield South venue was destroyed this morning in a blast possibly linked to other violent attacks on the business.
Detectives are investigating whether a burnt-out BMW found in Hallam at 6am is linked to the fire.
Echo taskforce detectives are looking into whether it was the same vehicle heard idling in a laneway at the back of the club.
The Echo taskforce were already investigating two other recent attacks on the Kittens outlet in Cecil St, South Melbourne.
The taskforce’s Detective Inspector Ian Campbell said one bikie gang was trying to blackmail, extort and take over the security industry in Melbourne.
“These are members of OMCGs who are still in the security industry.
“What they are endeavouring to do is take over a larger portion of the industry.
“It is a lucrative industry and the contracts are worth a considerable amount of money.
“We will arrest these people, charge them and bring them before the court.”
He said a feud between the gang and security contractors was potentially behind the violence.
“Our inquiries reveal that for the past 18 months or so there has been an ongoing feud between OMCG gangs and the security industry.
“We’ve had about seven non-fatal shootings, and clearly two drive-by shootings and now an explosion and fire resulting from the ongoing feud in the security industry.
“This is an ongoing concern for Victoria Police and members of the Echo Taskforce.
“Fortunately we had a witness come forward this morning and she said she saw a white BMW leave the scene.”
“I want to emphasis that this is not a vendetta against Kittens itself,” Insp Campbell said.
“We believe it is a specific attack at the security industry.
“This type of behaviour puts innocent people and their lives at risk. The indiscriminate nature of the attacks has the potential to endanger innocent members of the public.”
Insp Campbell said the feud was now a top priority for Victoria Police and Echo.
“The security industry at this stage is troublesome and we have a number of people associated with OMCGs trying to muscle in on the industry and take a large slice of the pie which we will quash as best we can,” Insp Campbell said.
Last month, a crowd controller near the front door of the Cecil St venue survived being shot in the face by a gunman firing from a Holden Malibu four-wheel-drive.
Another bouncer was injured in a drive-by attack there on November 30.
The Herald Sun revealed in December that there were possible links with the Comanchero motorcycle gang in that incident.
Getaway cars were found burned out after both ambushes, the first at Port Melbourne and the second at Melton.
Nobody was inside when the blast occurred at the Kittens in Caulfield South about 3am this morning.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
Did you witness the explosion? Email anthony.galloway@news.com.au
Police have established a crime scene and the fire is being treated as suspicious, with a number of people seen near the back of the Glen Huntly Rd property before the incident.
About 11 residents were evacuated from a nearby apartment block shortly after the explosion.
Firefighters had trouble gaining access to the building and had to enter through the back of the property.
Melbourne Fire Brigade commander Paul Illman said there was significant damage.
The roof partially collapsed.
“The damage has been largely confined to one central area which is where the kitchen is,” he said.
“There were reports of an explosion, but we are not sure at this stage whether the fire caused the explosion or whether an explosion caused the fire.”
Commander Illman said there were at least two people of interest who were seen at the rear and front of the property in the moments leading up to the fire.
He said he believed the fire started in the centre of the building where the kitchen is located.
The front window to the building appeared to have been smashed, but it had not been confirmed whether this was related to the explosion.
“We received reports that an explosion occurred. We can’t confirm whether the explosions were the cause of the fire,” he said.
“It was one (explosion), maybe two.”
It is understood Kittens recently employed the services of Guardia Australia at both its venues, which provides armed security.
Oz Harari, who was one of those evacuated along with his girlfriend, said he was woken by the loud explosion.
Burnt out car in #Hallam connected to explosion at #Kittens strip club @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/zZxasjaYt7
— Anthony Galloway (@Gallo_Ways) February 16, 2016
“Police knocked on the door and told us to evacuate the building,” he said.
“In the beginning it was a big explosion and then there was a lot of
fire and smoke. You could smell the fire, plastic and asbestos.
“Definitely there was more security there in the past few weeks.
“It’s crazy and terrible. Hopefully they find him (the person responsible).”
Nearby resident Peter Lalor said “army style response vehicles” arrived every night at 6pm and didn’t leave until about 3am.
Resident Andrew King said he thought he heard a blast about 3am.
“I had just come back from picking up my wife from the hospital and we came past the street about 2.30am and it was dead,” he said.
“I got home and I definitely heard something. Then 15 minutes later there were sirens and alarms.
“You never want something like this to happen in your street.”
KITTENS IN THE NEWS
November 30, 2015: Drive-by at Kittens strip club, South Melbourne
January 6: Man shot in second drive-by shooting at Kittens, South Melbourne
January 6: Anti-bikie police investigate shooting at Kittens