Two teenage boys have been charged following a fire that destroyed an ice cream shop in Tarneit, in Melbourne's west, early this morning. Police allege the 17-year-olds broke into Gelateria on the Docks on Wool Street and set it alight around 2:30am.
The owner, Mahmoud Haddara, said he received an alarm notification on his phone and checked his CCTV, seeing someone inside before the shop erupted in flames. He expressed shock and sadness, stating he had worked hard for the community and had never experienced trouble at the store, which had been open for two years.
Store manager Othman Hawari described the scene as devastating, with everything burnt, broken, and smashed. He and other staff have already begun cleaning up to reopen as quickly as possible. Nearby resident and shopkeeper Navpreet Kaur likened the noise to a thousand glass bottles breaking at once.
Local worker Ali, who moved from Pakistan for safety, said he now feels scared after a series of incidents in the area, including break-ins at his own workplace and a nearby grocery store. Police reported that multiple people were seen fleeing the scene in a vehicle later found dumped in Mount Cottrell.
The search involved the critical incident response team, dog squad, and air wing. One of the boys was bitten by a police dog and taken to hospital. Both have been charged with aggravated burglary, criminal damage by fire, conduct endangering life, car theft, and possessing articles to destroy. One will face a children's court, while the other will have a bedside remand hearing.
