TWO petrol cans found at Beechworth may hold the key to solving an arson attack at the town’s police station earlier this week.
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An officer’s private vehicle was targeted by two men in the attack, which occurred about 2.15am on Tuesday.
The vehicle was gutted and the fire damaged a small section of the station’s roof.
Detectives are trying to source the petrol cans back to the business, or businesses, which sold them and find the buyer.
The five-litre petrol cans — one of which is a limited edition Victa can — were found at the intersection of Sydney Road and Gorge Road the day after the fire.
Police are working on the theory the cans are linked to the fire, but they also want to speak to anyone who left them there for another reason.
“At this stage we believe those two five-litre cans could be linked to the arson attack,” Detective Sgt Graeme Simpfendorfer said.
“We’re after anyone who may know of those two cans or had them and just inadvertently dumped them there — rather than being linked to the arson attack — to contact us at this stage.
“We’re investigating those cans as if they are linked at this stage.”
Forensic officers have dusted the items for fingerprints and tested for DNA, with the results pending.
“It’s still hard to say exactly what the motive is,” Sgt Simpfendorfer said.
“We’ve got theories and we’re looking into all of them, whether that be an attack on the particular officer, or the Beechworth police in general.
“We’re exploring all avenues and being very thorough.”
No one has been questioned.
