Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad today arrested two people as part of their investigation into a suspicious fire at a South Yarra nightclub in November last year.
Warrants were executed by police from 6am this morning at three residential properties in Pakenham.
A 22-year-old Pakenham man and a 21-year-old Pakenham man were arrested and interviewed by detectives.
Today's arrests follow a fire at the Chapel Street venue on Thursday, 21 November 2024.
Police are continuing treating the fire as suspicious and believe it was a targeted attack, however the exact motivation for the arson remains unclear.
Investigators have been through thousands of hours of CCTV in an effort to trace a blue VW golf in particular, which was seen at the nightclub fire.
They believe the vehicle was initially stolen from the driveway of a property in Croydon on 12 November last year.
Since then, it's believed this vehicle was involved in a number of other incidents across Melbourne including several aggravated burglaries and petrol drive offs in Brunswick, Cranbourne North, Caulfield South and Hampton.
Arson and Explosives Squad detectives are also actively investigating a drive-by shooting and arson that occurred on Boadle Rd, Bundoora on 6 December, 2024 in which the same blue VW golf sedan was used.
Emergency services were called to the street about 1am after a vehicle was set alight and a number of shots were fired into a residential address.
No one was injured during the incident.
Police also believe that same vehicle was then seen several hours later in the vicinity of the synagogue fire in Ripponlea, also on 6 December.
There is nothing at all to indicate that the men arrested today were directly involved in the synagogue fire, or that the fire at Lux nightclub was a political attack.
Detectives have charged a 22-year-old Pakenham man with criminal damage by fire, burglary, use dangerous article, theft of motor vehicle x 3 and traffic offences.
He has been remanded into custody to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court tomorrow.
A 21-year-old Pakenham man has been released pending further enquiries.
