Glenroy tobacconist firebombed one day after Taskforce Lunar established to combat the crime wave on tobacco stores

Criminals have firebombed 27 tobacco shops in the past six months, prompting calls for the state government to introduce tougher laws.

A tobacconists on Wheatsheaf Road Glenroy was badly damaged in an overnight arson attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Victoria Police wants the legislation around the tobacco industry strengthened after a war broke out between crime gangs which has seen 27 arsons in the past six months.

The state is the only one in Australia that doesn’t keep a register of businesses that sell tobacco products and there is no age restriction in Victoria on the people who sell cigarettes.

Police have revealed they are “engaging” with the department of health and the state government on toughening up the laws.

It comes after yet another tobacco shop was firebombed in Glenroy on Monday.

A tobacconists on Wheatsheaf Road Glenroy was badly damaged in an arson attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“Victoria Police would welcome any opportunity to enhance the current legislation that would allow the regulation of the tobacco industry,” Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said.

“It is something we are working with the Health Department and Government going forward and what opportunities there are to strengthen the regulatory regime.”

On Sunday police announced it had set up Taskforce Lunar to combat the escalating crime wave on tobacco stores.

But just a day later, Glenroy Vape Tobacconist on Wheatsheaf Road was firebombed.

“Overnight we’ve had a rather serious arson attack in the Glenroy area on a tobacco shop,” det supt Kelly said.

“In the early hours of this morning at about 2.24am a stolen blue BMW station wagon and a green Holden sedan arrived at the Wheatsheaf Road premises.

A tobacconists on Wheatsheaf Road Glenroy was badly damaged in an overnight arson attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“The BMW proceeded to ram into the front of the store on multiple occasions before an unknown male has got out of the car and deliberately lit the premises.

“The BMW was later found burnt out at 2.47am in Haig Ave in Coburg. The Holden sedan that was sighted at the tobacco shop during this incident also fled the scene and is yet to be located. The vehicles would have travelled from the Glenroy area to Coburg area we suspect so if anyone has any dashcam footage or any other information we would ask them to contact Crime Stoppers.”

The detective said the force had received intelligence the shop could be targeted and had a CCTV camera set up to watch over it.

“We do from time to time receive information in relation to specific locations that may be a threat. And on this occasion this particular shop was identified as a potential threat.

“We took proactive steps to disrupt that from occurring but they continued,” he said.

He added all tobacco stores should be on alert.

“Any tobacco store in Victoria at the moment should be on alert to current issues. The fact we’ve had 27 arsons in six months would suggest that they should be alert.

Monday’s firebombing comes two days after arsonists set Bentleigh Smoke Shop and Convenience Store alight on Saturday morning, in what residents described as an “attack waiting to happen”.

The shop was torched about 1.30am after an earlier attempt to firebomb the commercial property failed in September.

No one was in the shop when the fire broke out, however the shop sustained significant damage.

Police are urging anyone with information, CCTV footage or dashcam video to come forward by contacting Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.