Braybrook play centre targeted by arsonists twice in three days

A group of rowdy teens were kicked out of a children’s play centre in Melbourne’s west just hours before the venue was first targeted in a string of vandalism and arson attacks.

A group of brawling teens were booted a children’s play centre in Braybrook just hours before the venue was broken into and set alight.

The Herald Sun understands staff asked the group to leave after they started a fight at the Rabbit Hole Playcentre on Friday afternoon.

Later that evening, the centre’s front windows were smashed in and in the early hours of Saturday morning, arsonists set fire to the building.

Arsonists returned on Monday morning and again set fire to the venue – the third incident in four days.

Police have revealed that CCTV footage shows three males dressed in black and carrying jerry cans smash their way into the centre.

Detective Senior Constable Chris Berzins said one of the males used a rock and a chair to break the window on Friday night, returning just moments after police had left to set fire to the building.

Police are investigating the series of attacks on the centre. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“After police left, a group attended at about 2.30am on Saturday morning,” Senior Constable Berzins said.

“They’ve used sledgehammers to force their way in to the building.”

Senior Constable Berzins said Monday morning’s fire – which ripped through the kitchen of the centre – was “substantially” bigger.

Cleaners were inside the venue at the time of the first incident, but no one was hurt.

“It’s pretty brazen … it’s pretty disgusting behaviour to be honest,” Senior Constable Berzins said.

He could not confirm if the eviction of a group of fighting teens was linked.

I Love This Shop owner Victor Foo, whose party supplies store is next to the Rabbit Hole Playcentre, said the owners of the centre were “devastated” and had barely slept after the attack on Saturday.

This was now the second morning in three days Mr Foo had returned to his business to find smoke and firefighters in his store.

“There was smoke and the fireman came through the ceiling to have a look out our shop to check and see if there was fire or smoke,” he said after he arrived to his store on Monday.

Police are investigating a spate of vandalism and arson attacks on a children's play centre in Braybrook.

He said while there was no smoke this morning, he could still smell the burnt material in his store.

The Rabbit Hole Playcentre is understood to host kids and teens for parties at the facility.

The centre has been in touch with the Herald Sun sharing their devastation about the incident.

“We are still processing the latest attack,” they said.

“Our entire team has poured their heart and soul into this place, so this has hit us incredibly hard.”

Management said that heading into their peak season the centre has invested significant time and effort into their recent marketing campaigns.

“The past four days have been extremely stressful and left us in complete shock.”

The playcentre has provided CCTV to police but are unable to provide further details as the investigation remains ongoing.

“Our main priority now is to support our team with the anticipation of extended closure.”

The site has been cordoned off while police investigate. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A jerry can could be seen discarded on the floor of the play centre. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Police were parked outside the large facility at 8am on Monday, with police tape cordoning off a shattered glass panel.

Glass could be seen sprinkled on the footpath outside the centre.

Fire Rescue Victoria members arrived just after 8am, with police officers and investigators speaking to people hovering around the scene.

Those on their way to work or heading into a gym near the store stopped and peered beyond the police tape to check out the smashed window.

Crime Scene Investigators could also be seen walking through the blackened room with flash lights and masks on.

Two jerry cans could seen lying on the floor of the play centre.

A worker close to the scene told the Herald Sun they heard a fire alarm go off at the play centre in the afternoon on Friday.

Those inside the building were marshalled out into the car park, but there are no reports a fire was burning in the property at the time.

The faint smell of smoke lingered in the air on Monday.

The power was cut off at the Rabbit Hole Playcentre and another neighbouring business for safety reasons, as investigators continue to scour the scene.

The front window of the centre was smashed in during the latest incident. Picture: Fergus Ellis

Vandals first smashed through the window of the play centre at about 10.25pm on Good Friday, with four other offenders breaking into the centre just hours later at about 2.35am on Saturday.

The group started a small fire inside the building before they fled.

They were last seen driving down Ballarat Rd.

In a puzzling turn, more offenders returned to the centre on Monday morning, this time brazenly smashing through the front window and setting the kitchen on fire just before 3am.

The kitchen area at Rabbit Hole Playcentre has received significant damage as a result.

The Maribyrnong Crime Investigation Unit is now treating the series of attacks as linked and has urged anyone who noticed anything “suspicious” near the building to contact police.

In a post to social media, the centre explained they had been forced to close on Saturday and Sunday, and were hopeful they could reopen the store on Monday.

In the lengthy statement posted on Facebook, the Rabbit Hole Playcentre said they were “extremely disheartened” by the events and said they would commence repairs as soon as possible.

“The safety of our customers and staff is our top priority, and we need to ensure that the premises are secure and safe for everyone before reopening,” the post read.

“We are extremely disheartened by this unfortunate event and the inconvenience it may cause to our customers, especially those who had parties booked and those who had booked tickets this school holidays.”

All customers who had booked a time over the long weekend will be refunded as per the statement.