Police are seeking public assistance as they investigate fires in the Yass area, which are all believed to be suspicious and linked.
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Strike Force Scatter was established in February 2016 by detectives attached to the Hume Local Area Command to investigate a number of rural fires in the Yass Valley.
The fires occurred during statutory bush fire danger periods between October and March 2015/2016 and 2016/2017.
The most recent have been six fires, which have all taken place since Saturday December 31, 2016 in the Kangiara Rural Fire Service (RFS) areas.
Crime manager at the Hume Local Area Command, Detective Inspector Chad Gillies, said the ongoing fires have had a significant impact on the local community.
“Communities in and around the fire-affected areas have suffered financial losses due to the fires, and we are treating them as suspicious,” Detective Inspector Gillies said.
Farm land and stock feed has been lost in many of these fires; the devastating consequences for families have had ongoing impact throughout the tight-knit community.
- Detective Inspector Chad Gillies, crime manager at Hume Local Area Command
“Police are working closely with Rural Fire Service officers to help find those responsible; however, we are appealing to the public for their assistance.”
Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in and around the affected areas, or anyone with information, no matter how small, is urged to contact Yass Police on 6226 9399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. Police remind people they should not report crime information via Facebook and Twitter pages.
