Hospitality venue owner Arjun Reddy was preparing for a regular morning when he heard about an arson attack around the corner from his South Melbourne business.
Reddy’s Lush 2.0 bar is only minutes away from The Albion – which was the target of a recent firebombing campaign against Melbourne nightlife venues. He said the proximity of the crime to his own business on April 15 has put him on edge.
“We spent so much money on the business, and now every night I keep checking my cameras and make sure all the alarms are activated,” Reddy said.
“We don’t know the reason. We don’t know what’s happening. It’s more than 12 [or] 13 venues in two weeks. It’s crazy.”
Restaurant and bar owners across the city are increasingly concerned about the spate of violent incidents and worried about what it might mean for the future of the local industry.
More than 30 firebombings, shootings, home invasions and kidnappings have been linked to a growing list of crimes that have unfolded over the past three months.
The spree is seemingly targeting late-night hospitality venues, and offences have so far been concentrated in the CBD, Southbank and South Melbourne areas. But little is known about the motives of the perpetrators, and hospitality operators say they are also in the dark.
In addition to his South Melbourne restaurant, Reddy owns Lush Social House in Port Melbourne – which is around the corner from a car dealership that was torched on May 6. It’s unclear whether the incident is directly connected with other recent crimes.
Reddy said that both Victoria Police and the state government need to actively communicate with business owners, to ensure they are properly informed and can continue to operate safely.
“I’ve been in the industry for 17 years, studied hospitality, moved to this beautiful country … and I’m really happy so far with what I’ve achieved,” he said.
“At the moment … there’s all this speculation … We have to reassure the staff. We have to reassure ourselves.”
In late April, Victoria Police launched Operation Eclipse, a team dedicated to investigating the spate of violent attacks.
The Age revealed earlier this week that an Iraq-based organised crime gang also connected to Melbourne’s tobacco wars is a prime suspect in the search for the puppet-masters responsible.
But for those that work in the industry, the issue is much closer to home. Hospitality operators located near recent crime sites spoken to by The Age said that they had received limited information from police.
They said venues feared being collateral damage in attacks on other establishments or victims of young criminals accidentally targeting the wrong address.
Another South Melbourne bar manager, who didn’t want to be identified out of fear that his business would be targeted, said that he wakes up every morning and immediately searches for the latest hospitality casualty.
“I brushed it off at first … [but] I’ve never seen anything like this,” the manager said. “I just want there to be an answer. So that we can be aware.
“It’s edgy times … especially for South Melbourne.”
When asked about recommendations for hospitality venues during a press conference on May 6, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush encouraged owners to supply police with a livestream of their CCTV vision.
“I do recommend that … [owners] find a way to route [CCTV footage] back to us so we can support them, or through Melbourne City [Council] who have a good network that we have access to, so that we can have good visibility right across the metro area,” Bush told reporters.
“If you know something or hear something, don’t assume it’s not helpful. Talk to us.”
City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece echoed the sentiments from the chief commissioner. He encouraged business owners to utilise the council’s Safe City Camera program by permitting the use of footage from their own security camera devices.
The network – which includes more than 350 council-owned cameras across the city – is live monitored around the clock by staff. It helped in the arrests of three men attempting to torch Bar Bambi on Anzac Day, after council workers noticed a suspicious vehicle on cameras and alerted police.
“It’s one of the most effective programs of its kind in Australia, and we’re doubling number of cameras over two years from 300 to 600,” Reece said.
The council is currently in talks with major organisations like RMIT, the University of Melbourne and the Department of Transport to negotiate the inclusion of more private cameras into the network. Reece said he was optimistic that plans would be finalised by the end of the year, and would provide extra assurance for business owners.
“These attacks are extremely concerning, and we are throwing everything into our efforts to working with police to catch the culprits,” the mayor said. “Melbourne will return to being its best.”
Recent incidents haven’t been limited to the Melbourne City Council region. South of the river along the popular nightlife hub of Chapel Street, recent offences are also being investigated by Operation Eclipse.
Port Phillip Council mayor Alex Makin said that while police are leading investigations, council is maintaining regular contact with local traders and other authorities.
“We are being regularly updated by police and have offered to assist where we can. This has included supporting the placement of the council-funded mobile CCTV unit used by police,” Makin said.
Mona Bongkungkham owns Be Mon’s Northern Thai Cuisine, a South Yarra restaurant. It’s just three doors down from The Emerson, which was the site of a drive-by shooting on April 26.
While business is still steady and the restaurant hasn’t been directly impacted, Bongkungkham said it was a nervous time for the industry.
“This has made us a bit nervous, because our area is all bars,” Bongkungkham said. “I feel like Melbourne should be more safe … a lot of businesses are impacted.
“We want more police to take action … in this area, it seems like you can’t walk at nighttime.”
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