Man charged with stealing car linked to firebombing at Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea
A man has been charged with stealing a “communal crime car” that was allegedly used as a getaway vehicle after an arson attack at a synagogue in Melbourne’s inner east.
Police & Courts
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Authorities are a step closer to tracking down those responsible for torching a Melbourne synagogue after the man accused of stealing the getaway car was arrested.
A stolen 2020 Volkswagen Golf was allegedly used as a getaway vehicle for a crew of arsonists after the Adass Israel Synagogue was incinerated in December.
It was quickly labelled a terrorist attack and left Melbourne’s Jewish community reeling and desperate for answers.
The sedan was later dubbed the “communal crime car” as it was revealed it had been used in a number of violent crimes across the suburbs late last year.
Those included the attack at the synagogue, the firebombing of the Lux nightclub and a drive-by shooting in Bundoora.
Federal police on Wednesday swarmed a home in Williamstown where a 20-year-old man was taken into custody in a dramatic daylight arrest.
Masked federal officers sat the handcuffed and barefoot man on the ground before marching him to a police van parked on the street.
Officers then raided a home at Melton South where a number of unknown items were seized and remain under investigation.
Police have accused the 20-year-old of stealing the Volkswagen from a Croydon address on November 12 or 13 before he was allegedly seen driving it in Melton.
The man was allegedly spotted driving around the outer-western suburb just a week before the Ripponlea synagogue inferno.
He has been charged with theft of motor vehicle and failing to comply with an order under section 3LA of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) to provide access to applications on his mobile telephone.
The man, whose identity remains unknown, was granted “strict conditional bail” to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on October 3.
Authorities will be hoping this week’s development will keep the investigation’s cogs turning with pressure mounting to make an arrest over the actual arson attack.
Authorities previously revealed that an identified person of interest had been managing the usage and whereabouts of the “communal crime car”.
It is not known if the man arrested this week is that person of interest but state and federal police are now a step closer to making an arrest over the terror-related attack.
No charges have been laid over the December 6 blaze but police are working meticulously to piece together who commissioned and executed it.
Anti-terror police on both a state and federal level have made significant progress in recent months.
“The JCTT, which includes Victoria Police, AFP and ASIO, previously stated last year’s arson was likely a politically motivated attack,” a statement read.
“This remains the position of the JCTT, and the investigation (into the synagogue fire) remains a terrorism investigation.
“The investigation into the Ripponlea synagogue fire continues to be treated as a priority by police, including the involvement of significant resources across all agencies.”
The Lux fire and the shooting at Bundoora are being treated as separate crimes and “are not considered politically-motivated attacks”.
The Herald Sun in May revealed that the Golf had been used as the getaway vehicle for the South Yarra nightclub fire.
That information was not published for many months as police said it could damage their investigation.
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