Sunbury residents turned up in droves to an information caravan last Wednesday to help police catch a serial arsonist.
Detectives with the Hume crime investigation unit set up the caravan in Racecourse Road hoping members of the public would come forward with information on a spate of fires in Sunbury in the past three months.
Police are hunting a man who was seen near the fires riding an unregistered, dark-coloured dirtbike and wearing a dark helmet with a personal camera attached.
Detective Acting Sergeant Dennis Cunha said more than 75 people had approached the van with information and Sunbury police had been inundated with calls.
“We’ve had a fantastic response and have gathered a lot of intelligence,” he said.
The firebug is believed to be responsible for at least five fires in bush near Racecourse Road between January 1 last year and January 3 this year.
The most recent fire, last Saturday afternoon, burnt to within just a few hundred metres of the information caravan near the intersection of Webb Court and Emu Road.
Other fires have been lit in Jacksons Creek east of Racecourse Road, Emu Road and Kenway Street, around bushland near Webb Court and in parkland bordering Jacksons Creek and Grapeview Grove.
Detective Acting Sergeant Cunha said it was fortunate the fires were contained quickly. “With a bad wind, these fires could have posed a major threat to Sunbury township,” he said.
In January 2013, another suspicious fire came within metres of houses in the same area.
On that occasion the fire, which started near the Calder Freeway between Moore Road and Baggy Green Street, burnt 20 hectares; a shed, a car and fencing were destroyed.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
