A 16-year-old boy has been charged over a fire that erupted in a western Sydney barber shop that police allege has strong links to an organised crime group.
Just after 4am on Thursday, May 8 this year, emergency services were called to a barber shop on Merrylands Road, Merrylands, where they found it on fire.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the building sustained moderate damage.
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An unknown male was reported to have accidentally set himself on fire during the incident, but fled the scene before emergency services arrived.
At about 3.10am on Friday, May 9, police tried to stop a silver Hyundai i30 with allegedly cloned plates on Sherwood Road, Merrylands West.
The driver allegedly failed to stop, triggering a pursuit through Merrylands West, Woodpark, and Wentworthville, before it was halted due to safety concerns.
At about the same time, police received reports of a fire inside a barber shop on Merrylands Road in Merrylands, which failed to cause any structural damage before firefighters arrived.
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The investigation has since been folded into Task Force Falcon, an operation aiming to investigate and suppress violent crime in Sydney.
On Friday, May 23, police seized a stolen Hyundai on May 23.
During a search of the car, police allege they found jerry cans containing accelerant and bleach.
At about 10.20am yesterday, police arrested a 16-year-old boy in Penrith.
He was charged with multiple offences including two counts of aggravated break and enter, causing property damage worth between $5000 and $15,000, and a string of driving and vehicle offences.
He was refused bail to appear in court yesterday.
Police will allege the teen was responsible for lighting the fires at the barber shop, and that the shop has linked to a high-profile organised criminal network.
Anybody with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
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