Two teens arrested over torched Lygon St gym of slain Melbourne underworld figure Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim

Two teenagers have been arrested over a fire at a Lygon St gym where murdered Melbourne underworld figure Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim used to train — they are also accused of torching a Fawkner tobacco store.

Two teenagers have been arrested over the destructive fire of a gym linked to murdered gangland figure Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim.

Detectives raided two homes at Werribee and Point Cook as part of their investigation into the blaze at Power Gymnasium on Lygon St late last year.

A stolen black BMW had been seen ramming the Brunswick bicycle store below the gym in the early hours of October 15 before it was set alight.

Police believe Power Gymnasium – where Abdulrahim used to train – was the intended target.

The blaze caused more than $1.6m worth of damage with the bicycle store below left completely gutted.

Fire fighters at the scene in Brunswick East where an alleged ram raid on a bike shop resulted in a fire. Picture: David Crosling

The late Sam Abdulrahim at Power Gymnasium in Brunswick ahead of a fight. Picture David Geraghty

The two teenagers are also accused of torching a Fawkner tobacco store in September.

An accused standover man has also been charged after he allegedly offered the owner of a tobacco shop $70,000 to take control of the store.

The accused standover man told the shopkeeper he had been sent by the leader of a Middle Eastern crime syndicate.

The worker in the tobacconist declined the business offer before receiving a phone call in late February – two days after the standover man visited his store.

The worker was told his inner suburban smoke shop would be torched if he did not agree to the store’s takeover.

A Port Melbourne man, 39, was on Monday charged with extortion and was remanded to face court on June 16.

One of the pair of teenagers arrested over the blaze at Power Gymnasium has since been charged.

Police at the scene after the devastating blaze. Picture: David Crosling

The blaze gutted a bicycle store. Picture: David Crosling

A Werribee man, 19, was charged with three counts of arson, theft of motor vehicle, two counts of handling stolen goods and two counts of driving disqualified.

He is due to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday afternoon.

His co-accused, a 19-year-old Point Cook man, has been interviewed and is expected to be charged on summons.

Abdulrahim endured relentless attacks on businesses linked to the former Mongols bikie before his daylight murder at Preston earlier this year.

His tobacco shops, the function centres he boxed at and businesses linked to his family have all been razed by fire.

He was eventually shot dead in the carpark of the Quest Hotel in January.