WELLINGTON Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating, following a fire in Sale at the former Sale High School at 55 Raymond Street.
Victoria Police say officers were told unknown offender/s broke the window at the property sometime between 12.15pm on Saturday, February 17 and 11am on Tuesday, February 20.
It is alleged a curtain hanging near the window was set alight before it quickly fell to the ground and self-extinguished.
No-one was injured during the incident and the property sustained minor damage.
Until Friday, January 16, the building known as the Derek Amos Community Hub was managed by Dr Cameron ‘Jamie’ Hogan, from Jamie Hogan Advocate and Lobbyist. Dr Hogan has since moved to a Foster Street premise. The Raymond St property is currently owned by the state government.
“Either Saturday or Sunday night (February 17 and 18), someone has broken the front window of my personal office and set the building on fire. Fortunately we moved to new premises at the end of December 2023,” Dr Hogan said.
Dr Hogan said there was no personal damage as everything had been moved, but he believes the fire would have been worse if any property had been inside.
He believes the only reason the whole building didn’t go up in flames was its concrete structure.
Michael Davis, the Jamie Hogan Advocate and Lobbyist practice manager, said he first noticed the damage when he came into the building on Tuesday morning around 10.30am. He then contacted Dr Hogan, the police and the Department of Education.
“Police asked us if we had any idea of who it was and we said no,” Mr Davis said.
The same building had been broken into just over a year ago, as reported by the Gippsland Times in January 2023.
Property had been damaged and $100 was allegedly stolen during this incident, which was believed to have occurred between 5.30pm on Monday, January 2 and 11am Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Sale Police launched an investigation at the time, but there remains no updates at this time.
Police told the Gippsland Times there does not appear to be a link between that burglary and this recent fire incident.
However, Dr Hogan and Mr Davis told the Gippsland Times that both incidents had led them to invest in video surveillance at their new building at Foster St and their personal residences.
The investigation into the fire remains ongoing.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
When asked for comment, Wellington Shire Council referred to the Department of Education (for a state government response).
The Department of Education is expected to provide a comment after this issue’s print deadline.
More to come in Friday’s issue.
