By Kyra Gillespie
Police are searching for an unknown number of offenders following a car fire and theft on a Nar Nar Goon property on Wednesday 28 November.
Four CFA appliances worked to extinguish the car fire, which broke out at a farm on Mt Ararat North Road around 9.30am.
While the investigation is still ongoing, police say it appears an unknown offender – or group of offenders – dumped and torched the first car – a Ford Ranger – before stealing a second car from the same property.
Investigators believe the Ford Ranger, donning false number plates, was involved in an arson attack and ram raid in Wonthaggi prior to the dumping.
The owner of the subsequent stolen car – a mother of two, was in a nearby paddock with a relative and her young children when she spotted the fire near the entrance of the property.
Upon investigating the source of the blaze she found the Ford Ranger on fire and her car, a white Mitsubishi Pajero, gone.
“It looks like whoever did this dumped the car and then took mine. You can see the tyre marks where my car was,” she said.
“We were down in the paddock feeding the cows when I saw the fire. I initially thought the drum fire I was burning had gone out of control – then I saw the car alight.
“I didn’t have my phone on me so I raced down the road to call the CFA; at that point I didn’t even realise my car was gone.
“It’s got my phone, wallet, keys, car seats – everything, inside.”
“The blaze was huge, the car completely exploded”, the other woman added.
“We were roughly ten minutes down there – that’s how quickly it all happened.
“Not only have we now lost a car, but someone else has also lost their car – their pride and joy.”
The stolen Pajero only had a quarter of a tank of fuel remaining. It has not yet been sighted by police.
“They won’t get 100 kilometres without having to fill up,” the Pajero owner said.
An arson chemist has been arranged to inspect the torched Ford Ranger.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
