Police are searching for a runaway driver who left his partner to burn following a botched firebombing of a tobacco shop in Melbourne.
Emergency services were called to the tobacco shop in Melton shortly before 3am, finding the man in his 20s at the scene with severe burns to his upper and lower body. He was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition.
Dramatic CCTV footage captured a white ute reversing into the store before at least two men stepped out carrying jerry cans. Moments later, a ball of fire engulfed the group of arsonists. One man rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames covering his body before diving into the vehicle, which triggered another burst of fire inside the cab.
The ute was later found abandoned on the Western Highway, roughly 50 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. Victoria Police are searching for two men involved, warning that one likely has severe burns to his hands and feet.
Detective Inspector Chris Murray from the Arson and Explosives Squad said the dangerous stunt was a targeted attack.
“We have said repeatedly that deliberately lighting fires comes with immense risk, not only to the broader community but also to the offenders involved,” he said.
“We have also seen incidents where offenders have died as a result of sustaining burns and this remains a very real possibility to happen again with this incident.
“Fire is uncontrollable and unpredictable and we can only be thankful it’s not an innocent member of the public who has been injured.”
The attack comes amid an escalating political war over the scourge of illicit tobacco. On Thursday, the federal Coalition unveiled a policy to slash the tobacco excise by 80 per cent and legalise the vape market.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor pledged to cut the excise on a standard pack of 20 cigarettes from $30 down to $6, dropping retail prices from $40-$50 to around $16-$26 to undercut the black market.
The proposal sparked backlash from Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King during a joint appearance in Melbourne.
“We are on the side of public health,” Mr Carroll said.
“His policy is reckless and it will drive up smoking rate.”
“To be doing what he’s announced – it’s now for the state Liberal Party to rule it out.”
The clash follows a recent shift from the Victorian government, who requested a federal review into excise rates after polling showed voters blamed taxation policies for driving violent crime.
Responding to questions from The Australian, Victoria’s health minister Ingrid Stitt rebuffed the government’s position on reviewing the federal excise tax.
“The link between excise and the rise in illicit tobacco needs to be addressed by the Commonwealth – but a plan cooked up by the Liberals and Philip Morris is not the solution,” she said.
“We can’t allow the black market to dictate public health policy and making harmful tobacco products more readily available is not the answer.
“Nicotine can lock a new generation into a lifetime habit, costing lives and putting pressure on the health system – what we need is real solutions now.”
Retail groups welcomed the Coalition’s plan after more than 300 stores fell victim to firebombings. Legitimate retailers have suffered an estimated $2bn in lost revenue, with the Australian Association of Convenience Stores reporting a record 50 per cent collapse in legal cigarette sales during the first two months of the 2025-26 fiscal year.