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| ‘Communal crime car’ used by three people who torched Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue, police allege | ‘Communal crime car’ used by three people who torched Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue, police allege |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Police reiterate suspicion arson was politically motivated, as ‘confronting’ new footage released to assist investigation | Police reiterate suspicion arson was politically motivated, as ‘confronting’ new footage released to assist investigation |
| Police allege a “communal crime car” was used by three people who torched an ultra-Orthodox synagogue in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs in December, with one person accused of recording the crime on a phone. | |
| The “blue Golf sedan” was allegedly stolen from the suburb of Croydon in Melbourne’s outer east and discovered by police at an address in Melton in the city’s north-west in December. Police allege it has been linked to a series of crimes including an arson attack on the Lux nightclub on Chapel Street in November. | The “blue Golf sedan” was allegedly stolen from the suburb of Croydon in Melbourne’s outer east and discovered by police at an address in Melton in the city’s north-west in December. Police allege it has been linked to a series of crimes including an arson attack on the Lux nightclub on Chapel Street in November. |
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| Victoria’s police’s assistant commissioner, Tess Walsh, said there was nothing linking the two people arrested over the nightclub fire on Thursday morning to the attack on the ultra-Orthodox Adass synagogue. But police confirmed they may be “forensically linked” to the synagogue attack. | |
| Police allege the car was also used as part of a shooting and arson attack in Bundoora on the same night as the synagogue fire. The car has also been linked to “a number of serious and violent crimes” including aggravated burglaries and “petrol drive-offs” in Brunswick, Cranbourne North, Caulfield South and Hampton. The car was fitted with cloned plates, police said on Thursday. | Police allege the car was also used as part of a shooting and arson attack in Bundoora on the same night as the synagogue fire. The car has also been linked to “a number of serious and violent crimes” including aggravated burglaries and “petrol drive-offs” in Brunswick, Cranbourne North, Caulfield South and Hampton. The car was fitted with cloned plates, police said on Thursday. |
| “Police believe this car was used as what I would describe as a communal crime car and it has been driven to a number of locations committing serious offences,” said Australian federal police assistant commissioner, Stephen Nutt. | “Police believe this car was used as what I would describe as a communal crime car and it has been driven to a number of locations committing serious offences,” said Australian federal police assistant commissioner, Stephen Nutt. |
| “It is possible the car was used by several different people and groups to commit these crimes over the November and December last year period.” | “It is possible the car was used by several different people and groups to commit these crimes over the November and December last year period.” |
| The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) on Thursday released images and footage of those allegedly responsible for the attack on the synagogue to “encourage members of the public, and those with knowledge of this crime, to come forward”. | The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) on Thursday released images and footage of those allegedly responsible for the attack on the synagogue to “encourage members of the public, and those with knowledge of this crime, to come forward”. |
| In the days after the synagogue fire, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said the incident had “been confirmed as a terrorist attack”. Asked about that comment on Thursday, Nutt used different language and said that was still being investigated. | In the days after the synagogue fire, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said the incident had “been confirmed as a terrorist attack”. Asked about that comment on Thursday, Nutt used different language and said that was still being investigated. |
| “At this stage, we have not determined that this is a terrorist act – that remains a key aspect of the investigation,” Nutt said. | “At this stage, we have not determined that this is a terrorist act – that remains a key aspect of the investigation,” Nutt said. |
| Members of the Adass community were offered support before the public release of “confronting” vision showing their synagogue being set alight. | Members of the Adass community were offered support before the public release of “confronting” vision showing their synagogue being set alight. |
| A statement issued to the kehilla, which means congregation, by Adass leaders on Thursday morning advised that police would “be releasing footage from the shul recorded on the morning of the fire”. | A statement issued to the kehilla, which means congregation, by Adass leaders on Thursday morning advised that police would “be releasing footage from the shul recorded on the morning of the fire”. |
| “They will be seeking public assistance if anyone recognises or can identify anything from the footage,” the statement said. “They have warned that the footage may be confronting for members of our Kehilla. If you have any questions or require any support please be in touch with the Kehilla board.” | “They will be seeking public assistance if anyone recognises or can identify anything from the footage,” the statement said. “They have warned that the footage may be confronting for members of our Kehilla. If you have any questions or require any support please be in touch with the Kehilla board.” |
| Police said CCTV vision showed a “blue Golf sedan drive past the Adass Israel synagogue multiple times before parking outside the main entrance on 6 December 2024”. | |
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| The force said the footage then showed “three individuals dressed in hoodies and masks get out of the vehicle and use an axe to damage the entrance of the synagogue”, and “at least two individuals commence pouring the contents of red jerry cans inside the entrance of the synagogue, before entering the building”. | The force said the footage then showed “three individuals dressed in hoodies and masks get out of the vehicle and use an axe to damage the entrance of the synagogue”, and “at least two individuals commence pouring the contents of red jerry cans inside the entrance of the synagogue, before entering the building”. |
| “It shows the individuals making multiple trips to the Golf to get more jerry cans, which were poured inside the synagogue before the liquid was ignited.” | “It shows the individuals making multiple trips to the Golf to get more jerry cans, which were poured inside the synagogue before the liquid was ignited.” |
| Nutt said police believed there were “multiple offenders directly and indirectly linked to the synagogue arson”. | Nutt said police believed there were “multiple offenders directly and indirectly linked to the synagogue arson”. |
| Police would not comment on whether investigators had seen the vision allegedly recorded by one of the suspects. | Police would not comment on whether investigators had seen the vision allegedly recorded by one of the suspects. |
| Walsh acknowledged the Jewish community’s frustration about the length of the investigation. | Walsh acknowledged the Jewish community’s frustration about the length of the investigation. |
| “You can see the way the investigation has had to be managed,” she said. “This is not a single investigation into a single occurrence. The use of this car has led us to multiple different crimes and they will take time to investigate and manage properly.” | “You can see the way the investigation has had to be managed,” she said. “This is not a single investigation into a single occurrence. The use of this car has led us to multiple different crimes and they will take time to investigate and manage properly.” |
| Walsh said the alleged use of a “communal crime car” was “relatively new, but not unknown”. | Walsh said the alleged use of a “communal crime car” was “relatively new, but not unknown”. |
| “Obviously the person who managed the car is a person of interest in the investigation,” Walsh said. | “Obviously the person who managed the car is a person of interest in the investigation,” Walsh said. |