A Sydney kebab shop was allegedly set on fire, leading to two police pursuits, and one of the suspects was taken into custody.
At two in the morning today, police on normal patrols on Liverpool’s Hoxton Park Road noticed a restaurant on fire.
NSW Fire and Rescue was contacted, and they arrived on the site right away.
When the driver of a Suzuki Swift allegedly failed to stop, the officers noticed the vehicle departing the scene and tried to stop it.
Before it was called off shortly after, there was a chase.
After thereafter, the vehicle was spotted once more in West Hoxton on Fifteenth Avenue, which sparked a second pursuit through two areas.
According to the police, the driver attempted to flee the scene after stopping the vehicle on King Street in Rossmore.
After some effort, the 20-year-old was apprehended by the officers.
When firefighters arrived, Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Greg Wright reported that the kebab business was “totally consumed” by flames.
“The fire was very fierce in the early stages, however the quick work of the firefighters brought the fire under control very quickly,” he stated.
Three hours were needed to completely put out the fire, but not before the flames caused damage to three businesses.
The cops are still looking into this.
No fatalities were reported.
The 20-year-old male was charged with 12 offences this morning in connection with the fire and the chase, including breaking and entering a house or destroying property for more than $60,000, operating a vehicle without the owner’s permission, and causing property damage by fire or explosion for more than $15,000.
He was scheduled to appear in Liverpool Local Court today, but bail was denied.
