String of Melbourne hospitality venues targeted by arson attacks in a week

Police are appealing for information after a series of suspicious fires at multiple Melbourne hospitality venues.

They include two fires, an arson, and two attempted arsons at licensed premises across the city's metropolitan area in the past week.

Detectives are hunting for any connection between the arsons, and for a potential motivation.

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"We have issued repeated warnings about the dangers of fire and the potential for those lighting them to suffer life changing or fatal injuries," Detective Inspector Chris Murray, Arson and Explosives Squad, said in a statement.

"Despite that, we have seen arsonists die or suffer serious and life changing injuries as a consequence of being paid very little money compared to the value of a life.

"Fire is incredibly unpredictable – those who are responsible are risking their lives, the lives of an innocent community around them as well as people's livelihoods."

The first incident was an attempted arson at a Londsdale Street just before 6am on Tuesday.

There was a fire around 3am on Wednesday at a venue on York Street in South Melbourne.

A 25-year-old Coburg man has been arrested in relation to the incident.

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There was a fire at a venue on Commercial Road in South Yarra just after 4am yesterday, the same time as an attempted arson at a venue on Cecil Street in South Melbourne.

Two more incidents occurred this morning: a drive-by shooting at a venue on Lonsdale Street and an arson at a venue on Southbank Boulevard.

Both occurred within 10 minutes, just after 4am.

Two boys, aged 16 and 17, were arrested around 5am in relation to the arson.

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Police are now calling on anyone with any information about the incidents – including who is responsible and what the motivation is – to come forward.

"I would implore anyone who knows anything about these incidents to visit us and tell us what you know before we visit them."

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.

"Please – if you're out in metropolitan Melbourne and particularly entertainment precincts this weekend – call triple zero if you see anything suspicious," Murray said.

"That could be a car that's driving too slowly, people behaving oddly or something that just doesn't look right."

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