South Coast police are refusing to rule out possible links between a spate of arson attacks on South Coast tobacco shops.
In the most recent incident, Eden Tobacconist and Giftware, in Lyan St, was badly damaged after a jerry can was thrown in and set alight in the early hours of last Thursday morning.
It follows the firebombing of another tobacco retailer in Moruya last year, in which the building and the adjoining LJ Hooker real estate office were completely destroyed.
CCTV footage from nearby businesses shows a person dressed in dark clothing and wearing a hoody seemingly setting the Vulcan Street shop alight, less than a week after it opened for business.
Two Sanctuary Point tobacco retailers were also targeted in separate attacks in 2025, including one in which a car was driven into the premises before the structure was set alight.
South Coast Police District Acting Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Justin Marks, said police experts are now assisting with the local investigations.
“We’re not ruling out any leads or any lines of inquiry at the moment,” Inspector Marks said.
“I have been on the phone to the State Crime Command Arson Squad, (and) they’re also assisting in the investigation down at Eden.”
Inspector Marks said last week’s fire in Eden was alarming, coming on top of the Moruya and Sanctuary Point attacks.
“We’re not ruling anything out. We’re just looking at any avenues of investigation at the moment.”
Image: Fire and Rescue NSW (supplied)
