Arson Squad Update

Arson Squad Update

Barwon Police and the State Crime Command Property Crime Squad Arson Unit’s Strike Force Tronto Detectives, have engaged in a 3 day operation in Moree targeting Arson related offending within the township during Phase 5 of Operation CLAYMORE 2.

Since December 2017, emergency services have responded to almost 200 fires in or near the Moree township.

A significant part of the operation focused on community engagement which included a Town Hall Meeting on Monday the 5th of February, 2018 which was attended by 200 residents.

Operation investigators door knocked over 600 houses over the course of the three day operation within the fire effected areas.

Following information received from the public, on the 7th of February, 2018, investigators arrested a 13 year old young person in relation to a house fire in James Street, Moree that occurred in the early hours of the 31st of December, 2017. The young person was charged with Damage property by fire and was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Moree Childrens Court on the 19th of March, 2018.

Barwon Police will continue to work through a large volume of information received from the public during the three day operation. Police are confident this information will lead to further arrests.

For information on bushfires, monitor www.rfs.nsw.gov.au or call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.

Police are also reminding people that they could face penalties if found responsible for the lighting of fires – accidental or otherwise – including not putting out a fire they have lit.

Penalties relating to bushfires under the NSW Crimes Act, the Rural Fires Act, and Rural Fires Regulation include:

Damaging property with the intention of endangering life – up to 25 years imprisonment; Manslaughter – up to 25 years imprisonment; Starting a bushfire and being reckless as to its spread – up to 14 years imprisonment; Lighting a fire when a total fire ban is in place – up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a $5500 fine; Not putting out a fire that you have lit – up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a $5500 fine; Failing to comply with a bush fire hazard reduction notice – up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a $5500 fine; Light or use a tobacco product within 15metres of any stack of grain, hay corn, straw or any standing crop, dry grass or stubble field – up to a $5500 fine.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this investigation to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our social media pages.