Second Perth gym firebombed!

Police investigate a second gym firebombing in Perth

Nicolas Perpitch, Perth | March 02, 2009

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THE police arson squad is investigating the firebombing of a second Perth gym with Molotov cocktails in less than two months.

Detectives have not ruled out the possibility of a link between the two attacks.

Witnesses saw three people outside the Fight N Fitness Centre in Perth’s Northbridge entertainment district shortly after midnight yesterday.

Police said one of the three suspects broke into an upstairs apartment and a Molotov cocktail was thrown, causing up to $50,000 damage.

Another two unexploded Molotov cocktails were also found in the area.

On January 24, two Molotov cocktails were thrown into the Kronk Boxing Australia gym, in north suburban Maylands, causing $100,000 damage.

The gym was partly owned by Western Australia’s only woman professional boxer Erin McGowan.

The attack was reportedly linked to an earlier fight between bouncers connected to the gym and Coffin Cheaters bikies and a Perth street gang.

The Arson Squad’s Detective Sergeant David Gorton said all possibilities were being explored in relation to yesterday’s attack.

“At this stage we don’t know if there are any links, but we’re keeping an open mind in relation to that,” Det Gorton said.

“Somebody’s got some sort of gripe against somebody.

“It’s not random, somebody’s been targeted.”

The fitness centre and the apartment are both owned by long-time Perth trainer Ron Parr.

Mr Parr would not comment.

The centre’s manager Brian Ebersole is a mixed martial arts competitor from the United States who is due to compete in a cage fighting event in Perth on March 24.

He had slept on the couch of the firebombed apartment the night before and said he had been lucky no one had been hurt.

He said there had been no recent problems at the gym.

‘I’m praying it was a juvenile prank,” he said.

“Obviously we heard about what happened at Kronk’s Gym a couple of weeks ago.

“There haven’t been any public fights or dramas leading into this.

“So it does seem like it’s a different set of circumstances.”

 

You guys are serious about pushing for Underbelly VI, working title "The Perth Firebombings".

 

Excellent casting so far......Warwick Capper's always on the lookout for a new project. Can you work him in somewhere Leon??