Mitchell Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a Seymour man in relation to a series of arson incidents, including two large fires at Northwood earlier this year.
Detectives executed a search warrant at a Seymour property on Thursday morning, where the man, 22, was arrested.
He has been charged with recklessly causing a bushfire, criminal damage by fire, stalking, possessing drug of dependence and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
The stalking charge was in relation to four alleged incidents against one victim.
The fire-related charges are in relation to:
- A fire on the Northern Highway at Moranding at about 5am on February 3, where hay bales were allegedly set on fire near a property.
- A suspicious fire at Broomfields Road, Northwood, at about 3.45pm on February 17. It is alleged the fire was deliberately-lit, before it spread about 1200 metres towards Cowles Road. The blaze impacted nearby properties, fences, and sheds. Firefighters saved four homes under direct threat.
- A second fire in Moranding on the Northern Highway just after midnight on March 4, where 20 hay bales were allegedly set alight.
- An allegedly deliberate grass fire near Northwood and Bromfields Roads, Northwood, at about 1.40pm on March 18.
- A car fire, in which an allegedly stolen vehicle was set on fire on Moores Road in Flowerdale at about 4.30am on April 29.
- A car fire in Arcadia South, south of Shepparton, where an allegedly stolen car was set on fire at about 8.30am on August 24.
There were no injuries in any of the incidents.
Mitchell Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Naomi Bennett said the investigation was ‘a long one’, with charges spanning across six months.
“We’ve had a number of different investigations involving fires and we’ve been able to link him to each one,” she said.
“It’s like pieces of the puzzle – he’s linked in different ways to each scene, which we understand is circumstantial, but we’re confident that it’s a strong circumstantial case.
“We’ve had him as a person of interest for a long time, but we’ve just needed to wait for evidence to be able to arrest and interview him.”
Det Sen Const Bennett said a Country Fire Authority, CFA, investigator had ‘completely ruled out’ the hay bale fires being started by combustion.
She said some of the charges were linked to offences in New South Wales, which had helped in identifying the alleged offender.
Det Sen Const Bennett said the investigation remained ongoing, with more charges possible.
“While we’ve arrested and charged him, we’ve still got a lot to get through before we get to that next court date,” she said.
“We’ll hopefully be successful in prosecuting him.
“We’re always looking for witnesses in relation to any of these incidents, so if there were people that could add any further information, especially in relation to the hay bale fires and the Northwood fires that we may not have spoken to, they’re always welcome to come forward.”
The man appeared before Seymour Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was granted bail.
He will appear for a committal mention at Seymour Magistrates’ Court in November.
