Bumbling underworld crooks set themselves alight in bungled arson attacks

Arson has emerged as the favoured attack method of Victoria’s underworld, but it doesn’t always go to plan. These are the bungling crooks who put the fire into backfire.

Arson has emerged in the past two years as a favoured attack method of Victorian underworld figures.

But, as CCTV from here and interstate has repeatedly shown, those sent out with the petrol and lighters are taking enormous risks to get the job done.

Two have set themselves alight this month, one trying to torch a gym linked to gangland figure “The Punisher” Abdulrahim and the other burning a caravan at Wangaratta.

Footages surfaced last week of a Sydney gunman literally hotfooting it from a car he had set alight after shots were fired at underworld figure Khoder Hamdan.

Since the wave of Victorian tobacco shop blazes and other fires began two years ago, a succession of those assigned to get the job done have ended up in bad shape.

Many of their bungling attempts have ended in disaster as they ignited flammable vapours, engulfing themselves in fire.

Some can be seen running from crime scenes, an arm or leg well alight as they make their getaway.

In May last year, a man was captured on CCTV with his ablaze after firebombing a Moonee Ponds smoke shop connected to Abdulrahim.

An alleged crook is engulfed in flames after accidentally setting himself alight. Picture: Supplied

An alleged arson attack turns to disaster for an accused criminal. Picture: Supplied

An alleged gunman caught fire trying to incinerate a car shortly after gangland veteran Gavin Preston was shot dead at Keilor last year.

An intruder was lucky not to die in 2022 when he burst into flames after splashing fuel around a Ballarat tobacco shop and igniting it.

There have been the same issues interstate.

Earlier this month, a tobacco war combatant was captured on film tearing off his burning clothes after setting a smoke store in Adelaide alight.

An arsonist in a motorcycle helmet burst into flames inside a Canberra barber shop in July, video showing him stumbling through the store then rolling around outside trying to stop the burning.

One seasoned firefighter said those burning themselves were small-time players unaware of the danger they were putting themselves in.

“They’re just dills. They don’t know what they’re doing” the source said

Some of those in the videos would clearly have needed hospital treatment.

It is not clear whether doctors or other medical staff are under obligation to report such cases to police, as they are with shooting victims.