Two men hired to set fire to a Bondi Beach brewery caused minimal damage after their arson attempt failed spectacularly. The incident has prompted police to investigate whether the fire was a case of mistaken identity and whether the intended target was a nearby Jewish business which was subsequently set ablaze.
Two men hired to torch a Bondi Beach brewery questioned whether they would still be paid and if they had been sent to the wrong address after the fire failed spectacularly. The botched arson attempt on October 17th at Curly Lewis Brewery saw 31-year-old Guy Finnegan and 37-year-old Craig Bantoft pour fuel into the entryway of the Campbell Parade business. Despite their efforts, the fire self-extinguished within a minute, causing an estimated $65,000 in damage.
Finnegan and Bantoft engaged in a heated exchange with their alleged employer, identified as “James Bond” on an encrypted messaging app. “James Bond” expressed his fury, stating, “You f---ed the whole thing now. If you f---ing couldn’t do it from the start then why did you even go there for f--- me. It’s not even 2% burned f--- me dead,” according to messages seen by police. Detectives from Strike Force Pearl, established to investigate a string of antisemitic attacks in Sydney, are examining whether the brewery fire was a case of mistaken identity. They suspect the intended target was a Jewish business, Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, a kosher catering business and deli located 1200 meters from the brewery. Lewis’ Continental Kitchen was set ablaze in the early hours of October 20th. Police initially deemed the fire at the catering business non-suspicious but later sought public information and footage. Two other men, Wayne Ogden and Juon Amuoi, have since been charged in connection with the fire at Lewis’ Continental Kitchen and are currently awaiting trial. Neither Bantoft nor Finnegan have been charged in relation to the second fire. Bantoft is currently in custody on unrelated matters and is scheduled for sentencing in Waverley Local Court in March. Finnegan, meanwhile, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for damaging property by fire on Wednesday as part of an 18-month aggregate sentence for a range of offenses.
Arson Bondi Beach Brewery Antisemitic Attacks Mistaken Identity Jewish Business Sydney
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