A hit list of venues to be targeted by arsonists has been compiled by those behind a wave of firebombings on Melbourne’s nightlife industry that has prompted police to establish a specialist taskforce to hunt them down.
Police are still unable to identify any motivation driving the tirade of violence – which has included drive-by shootings of venues and attempted kidnappings over the past two months.
There have been at least 23 incidents since the crime spree began in February according to several sources across police, hospitality and nightlife industries. Police have only formally linked 15 attacks to the crime wave.
The list of targeted venues includes Albion Hotel, The Osborne and Soho, Left Bank, Bar Bambi and France Soir restaurants.
Two strip clubs, Kittens and The Men’s Gallery, have also been targeted with arson attacks and a drive-by shooting.
The taskforce, dubbed Operation Eclipse, will draw in detectives from specialist squads, including gang crime, arson and explosives, the VIPER taskforce, cybercrime and economic and organised crime units.
Victoria Police made a similar move in October 2023 when they formed Taskforce Lunar to tackle the tit-for-tat violence and extortion that arose out of the turf war of the illegal tobacco trade.
Crime Command Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said on Tuesday that none of the targeted venues have indicated a demand for money has been made and police were still unsure what was driving the attacks.
He conceded he was aware the mysterious perpetrators had compiled a list of venues to be targeted.
A South Melbourne brothel owner was threatened by a man outside the Cecil Street venue and warned that he was on a list of venues to be targeted, police and sex work industry sources speaking anonymously told this masthead.
The man who made the threat was captured on CCTV on Tuesday in a stolen car surveilling the brothel.
“We have identified specific venues, and a list for want of a better description, so we’ve worked very closely with those venues in particular,” Kelly said.
Kelly said the nightlife attacks bore a striking resemblance to the tactics used in the illegal tobacco wars.
“We’re still trying to understand what’s going on here. Unlike the illicit tobacco conflict we’ve seen over the past couple years it still requires a deep dive by us in terms of what the root cause [is].”
Taskforce Eclipse is also investigating potential motivations connected to the illicit alcohol market, outlaw bikie gangs, and the drug trade.
There is no suggestion that venue owners have withheld information from police, Kelly said.
“Venues can be quite a complex situation, where you’ve got owners, licensees, promoters, security, so there’s lot of difference moving parts.”
A police source previously told The Age that the crime syndicate responsible had spent tens of thousands of dollars orchestrating attacks involving dozens of foot soldiers without revealing their ultimate goal.
The iconic South Yarra bistro France-Soir and its neighbouring bar, Le Splendide, were targeted in an extortion plot carried out by an outlaw motorcycle gang, though one of the owners said she had not received a specific demand for money.
A Keysborough liquor distillery set alight is linked to another fire at an Epping address, when a bakery was accidentally torched, but the intended target was office space linked to two prominent nightclub promoters.
Police do not believe any of the venues have been mistakenly targeted, but Kelly said it was a concern for police.
“The risk, really here, is if an incorrect venue is hit with an arson. My biggest nightmare is that there are people inside that venue and they’re trapped.”
The mysterious syndicate orchestrating the attacks is predominantly recruiting youth offenders to carry out the targets via encrypted messaging apps.
The police crackdown has netted 12 arrests, targeting a group of predominantly young, lower-level male offenders with alleged ties to youth gang activity.
Two teenagers charged in connection to the most recent attempted attack on Left Bank Restaurant were denied bail on Tuesday in the Children’s Court.
The court heard an unidentified user was allegedly messaging both teenagers on encrypted messaging app Signal to organise the alleged attack, the court heard.
“Make sure you record [film the offending] or we don’t get paid,” the anonymous user allegedly sent in a message.
The 16-year-old boys allegedly drove a stolen blue Mazda carrying two jerry cans of fuel and a sledgehammer to Southbank in the early hours of Monday morning.
CCTV captured the boys donning balaclavas and walking to Left Bank on Southbank Boulevard before they were caught by patrolling officers.
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Carla Jaeger is a journalist for The Age. Got a tip? Email carla.jaeger@theage.com.au or message carlajaeger.62 on Signal.Connect via X or email.