Five more people have been arrested by police after a series of fires that caused more than $10m in damage at Melbourne tobacco stores.
The three alleged incidents occurred at tobacco xjmtzywstores in Pakenham, Deer Park and Patterson Lakes over the last eight months.
The first two happened inside a shopping centre on Main Street in Pakenham and on Station Road in Deer Park in early August last year, while the third occurred at a shopping centre on Thompsons Road in Patterson Lakes on February 9.
Five people were arrested by Brimbank Crime Investigation Unit detectives on Tuesday, after search warrants were executed at addresses in Craigieburn, Lalor, Bundoora and Wollert.
Two 20-year-old men from Lalor, another 20-year-old man from Wollert and a 25-year-old Craigieburn woman were all charged with various offences, including intentional destruction of property by fire, criminal damage by fire, burglary and commit indictable offence whilst on bail.
All four faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
An 18-year-old Bundoora woman has also been charged with possess prohibited weapon without exemption and has been bailed to appear at the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on June 30.
It follows two other men being arrested earlier this month in relation to the Patterson Lakes fire.
