Eight vehicles set alight in arson attack on Elite Motor Garage on Price St in Oakleigh South

Eight vehicles parked outside a suburban luxury car dealer have been torched in the second suspected arson attack on the business in just over 12 months.

A building in Oakleigh South where several cars have been set on fire. Picture: David Crosling

Eight vehicles parked in a car yard have been torched in the second suspected arson job on the Oakleigh South luxury car dealer in just over 12 months.

Fire crews were called to the Elite Motor Garage workshop just after 3am on Wednesday following reports a car had been rammed into a roller door.

Eight vehicles parked in the factory’s yard were fully alight and appear to have been torched separately.

One of those vehicles had been rammed through the security roller door of the building but the blaze failed to spread to the huge 20m x 50m double-storey brick factory.

A building in Oakleigh South where several cars have been set on fire. Picture: David Crosling

Eight vehicles were torched. Picture: David Crosling

The damage bill will be enormous. Picture: David Crosling

Up to 30 firefighters worked to bring the inferno under control in just over 40 minutes.

“It’s believed a vehicle was driven into a gate on Price Street just after 3.30am causing a number of vehicles outside the business to catch fire,” a police statement read.

“The offending vehicle was left at the scene and a number of offenders fled.”

It appears to be the second fiery attack on Elite Motor Garage after its Park Rd workshop was set alight in June last year.

The company’s website states the business operates out of both addresses in Oakleigh and Oakleigh South which have now met a similar fate.

Police last year released footage of the initial attack which shows a hooded man carrying a jerry can through the joint before causing more than $1m worth of damage.

The man was accused of smashing the factory windows before pouring an accelerant over several vehicles and setting them alight.

Police at the scene on Wednesday. Picture: David Crosling

A crime scene has been established. Picture: David Crosling

At the time, Elite Motor Garage owner and managing director Arj Lopez condemned the attack on his shop.

“It‘s really unfortunate. They burned three to four cars and then damaged a few other cars around,” he said in June last year.

“It’s literally just vandalism. There have been many such acts lately in the Oakleigh area.”

Mr Lopez has again been contacted for comment.

Last year’s attack on the Park Rd workshop was one of many businesses to be targeted by arsonists within just a few week.

Police last year investigated any connections between those businesses and Middle Eastern organised crime groups but there is no suggestion Wednesday’s blaze is linked.

It has now been handed to Victoria Police to investigate.