Early this morning, at approximately 4:45 a.m., police officers on routine patrol noticed a white Kia wagon parked outside Bar Bambi on Flinders Lane.
According to reports, two males allegedly exited the vehicle carrying a jerry can. They are accused of attempting to break a window at Bar Bambi and pouring fuel into the establishment. However, police intervened in time to apprehend the suspects.
The driver of the Kia managed to escape the scene by driving off. Currently, both the driver and the vehicle remain unlocated.
Authorities have taken into custody two 16-year-old boys, one from Casey and the other from Monash. They are set to be questioned by investigators regarding their involvement in the incident.
Detectives are actively investigating to ascertain if there is any connection to past occurrences of a similar nature.
Detectives are working to determine any links to previous incidents.
It’s the third time in weeks Bar Bambi has been targeted by attackers, amid what appears to be a mounting underworld war involving hospitality venues across Melbourne.
Police have established Operation Eclipse to investigate these incidents and whoever is behind them.
The task force has arrested 51 people since 27 April in relation to 38 incidents.
“Thirty-eight of the 51 arrests have been achieved on the hop, so as people were about to commit offences, they’ve been arrested,” Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said.
“Victoria Police response is working. We are catching people as they’re about to commit these offences.
“We’re out there every night, every morning and we’re catching them in the act.”
Many of those arrested are children, including  two 17-year-old boys taken into custody this morning after police raided two homes and seized a gun, multiple electronic devices and drugs.
The boys are being interviewed by police after five Molotov cocktails were thrown towards The George Hotel on Cecil Street in South Melbourne about 2.20 am on May 2.
Operation Eclipse detectives also arrested a 20-year-old Tarneit man this morning after two CBD bars received extortion demands online.
Demands for money were made via social media on May 7 to the venues on Flinders Lane and Lonsdale Street.
“There’s been some rather, I would describe as cryptic messages and there has been demands for some money…around the $10,000 figure,” Kelly said.
“We’re keeping an open mind as to whether this was just an opportunistic situation.”
Police seized a number of knives, ammunition and a mobile phone from the man’s home.
He has been charged with weapons offences and was bailed to appear at Wyndham Magistrates’ Court on June 12.
Despite making more than four dozen arrests, detectives admit they haven’t been able to get the bottom of who is behind the attacks.
“We haven’t had those clear demands from serious and organised crime that you’d expect and that we saw through the illicit tobacco conflict,” Kelly said.
“We are keeping an open mind. Everthing is still on the table.
“We are working heavily in relation to some avenues of enquiry and that includes offshore [sydnicates].”
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