SOUTH Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has urged lower Limestone Coast residents to show tolerance after arsonists targeted the car of the Mount Gambier mother-of-four who recently tested positive to Covid-19.
Emergency services were called to Sandalwood Crescent in Mount Gambier just before 10pm on Tuesday following reports of a vehicle on fire.
According to police, a Holden sedan had been set alight in the driveway, with flames threatening to spread to the house.
Fire crews managed to extinguish the blaze which destroyed the car and caused surface damage to the building.
There was no one at home at the time of the fire and there were no reported injuries.
Police said the fire appeared to be a targeted attack.
Comm Stevens warned those responsible that they had committed a serious crime and police will “be dealing with them appropriately” if they are detected.
“Obviously we take it very seriously and we are looking at that as much as possible,” Comm Stevens said.
“It’s completely unnecessary [and] it’s unwarranted.”
Comm Stevens pleaded with community members to remain calm and patient amid widespread speculation across the region, as well as silence from official channels about the infected woman’s movements and potential exposure sites.
“People shouldn’t assume that they know what’s going on,” he said.
“We don’t know exactly what has gone on, let us get to the bottom of this and we’ll provide that information to the community as quickly as possible.
“I’m just asking people to show tolerance.”
The investigation into the incident is continuing.
Anyone with information about the incident or who saw or heard any suspicious activity in the street is asked to contact Crime Stoppers online via crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
