FIRE BOMB SHOCK
POLICE PROBE: My van was set alight in my driveway, says local Senate candidate
POLICE are investigating reports the van of a Senate candidate contesting Saturday’s election was firebombed outside his Belmont home this week.
Independent candidate David Dillon (pictured) was inside watching TV on Tuesday night when the vehicle was set on fire.
“Last night my great big (Mercedes-Benz) Sprinter van, that was only signwritten only two weeks ago with all my policies, proposals and the likes out there on it, somebody came along and set fire to it,” an emotional Mr Dillon said.
Mr Dillon said he may have become a target because of his political views.
POLICE are investigating reports that the van of a senate candidate contesting Saturday’s election was firebombed outside his Belmont home this week.
Independent Senate candidate David Dillon was inside watching TV on Tuesday night when a passer-by told him his van was on fire.
“Last night my great big (Mercedes-Benz) Sprinter van, that was only signwritten only two weeks ago with all my policies, proposals and the likes out there on it, somebody came along and set fire to it,” an emotional Mr Dillon said.
Mr Dillon, who removed his election signage from the Torquay pre-polling site on Wednesday, said the fire started metres from his daughter’s bedroom.
“I stepped out there and sure enough the front of my Mercedes Sprinter van … has got a fire running across the top of the bonnet and across the windscreen,” he said.
“There was the remnant of some plastic container … it looks like someone has put some accelerant on it and lit it up.”
Mr Dillon said he may have become a target because of his political views.
“I actually lodged documents two days ago with the Melbourne Registrar of the High Court to challenge all the pork-barrelling that is happening around here,” he said.
“The reality is under section 51 (of the Constitution) the government in the way it is passing this money around, those things are not within its edict. They are not allowed to do that stuff.
“The things that they are putting their money into are not in the 37 areas of activity they are allowed to raise money for or distribute money for.
“The second point is under the actual Act for this election … these sorts of things they are offering are bribes and inducements.
“This is probably part of the reason why I’ve become a bit of a target.”
A Victoria Police spokesman said officers were investigating a car fire in Belmont.
“It’s believed a Mercedes van was parked in the driveway of a property when a fire caused minor damage to the van about 7.05pm,” he said.
“A resident of the property quickly extinguished the fire and fortunately no one was injured during the incident.”
Mr Dillon said the man who alerted him to the fire had “risked his life”.
“It had been dark for an hour,” he said. “I got a knock on the door from nice man from a foreign country.
“I thought he was … doing UberEats for one of the kids, but he just knocks on the door and says, ‘Excuse me but your vehicle is on fire’, and I said, ‘What?’.
“(The man) had risked his life to get between the fence and the vehicle to knock on the door.
“I just went over to the garden hose and got it on to (the van) and got (the fire) out.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report it at crimestoppersvic.com.au