Police hunt two men after unit firebombing

POLICE are looking for a short man and another with a “weird left ear” in its investigation into a targeted firebombing of a Launceston unit on Wednesday night.

Detective senior sergeant John Parker said one of the men who threw a molotov cocktail into the house was about 155cm tall.

“We have got a particular line of inquiry,” he said.

About 9.45pm the two men, wearing bandannas, lobbed up to three homemade petrol bombs at a vehicle and then the house at the property in Warring St, Ravenswood.

The molotov cocktails smashed the unit’s windows, igniting a fire which fully engulfed the home causing about $150,000 damage.

A man and a woman inside the Housing Tasmania unit were able to flee the inferno without injury.

“The occupants, one of whom was sitting on a couch beside his partner has then tried to put the fire out but it was too ferocious and they left,” Sgt Parker said.

One of the two offenders that police are looking for is described as being about 155cm tall with a skinny build. The other male is larger and has what was described as a weird left ear and no hair on the side of his head.

“They were observed fleeing over the back fence of the neighbours.”

Sgt Parker said it was a targeted attack, not random.

The descriptions were provided by witnesses.

Police are aware why the male was targeted but would not elaborate.

He said police believed the attackers to be young people.

The victims were in alternative accommodation.

Tasmania Police urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at crimestopperstas.com.au or 1800 333 000.