<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/victoria" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne's "><span>Melbourne's</span></a><span> hospitality venues are being crippled by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-news-victoria-police-move-to-reassure-residents-caught-up-in-hospitality-war-crackdown/1b78e2f7-6938-400c-8209-ff93c613509b" rel="" target="_blank" title=" a string of alleged arson attacks"><span>a string of alleged arson attacks</span></a><span>, police and crime experts are scrambling to figure out the motive behind the fires.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bar-bambi-attempted-arson-two-boys-arrested-melbourne/cb8b0995-61ba-433b-897f-87e14b98a040" rel="" target="_blank" title=" police arrested two teenage boys "><span>police arrested two teenage boys</span></a><span> after an alleged arson attack on Melbourne's Bar Bambi, marking the venue's third suspicious fire this month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Forensic Behavioural Science expert Dr Lauren Ducat at Swinburne University of Technology says while there is no clear motive behind the alleged attacks, arson is an "effective weapon" for intimidation.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-politics-live-updates-donald-trump-iran-deal-may-18-iran-israel-middle-east-war-blog-rolling-updates/d6095f36-8d4c-426c-894f-cb7c5216861c" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump says 'clock is ticking' for Iran</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is fast, destructive and highly visible," she explained.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It sends a message, creates fear and can shut down businesses quickly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When offenders see similar tactics succeed elsewhere, that behaviour can be replicated."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-news-visible-expert-on-recent-alleged-arson-attacks/9ee3971e-63f9-4f01-b5bb-0ce4f88d591f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She added that the recent alleged attacks would be seriously impacting the confidence of business owners across the state.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When motives are unclear, there is a sense of unpredictability about the behaviour and uncertainty about how to protect businesses," Ducat said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/ebola-outbreak-who-declares-global-health-emergency-over-outbreak-in-congo-and-uganda/ff09de90-acae-434b-a102-87eea224d46f"><strong><span>'Very alarmed': Global fears rise as deadly virus breaks containment</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That can affect confidence for owners, staff and patrons alike."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ducat added that arson cases can be hard to prosecute as "evidence is often destroyed" and "offenders can flee" quickly after an attack.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Motivation can be difficult to discern when there are not clear links to the target of the behaviour," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We often assume there are direct links between target and motive, and when that is not the case, it takes a more nuanced understanding of why people set fires."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week's alleged attack appears to be fuelling a mounting underworld war involving hospitality venues across Melbourne.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/majority-of-aussies-feel-ripped-off-by-big-supermarkets-data-shows/1132dac6-bdd4-468c-b97a-a653471f8f4a"><strong><span>Majority of Aussies 'feel 'ripped off by big supermarkets'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bar Bambi is not the only venue being caught in the crossfire.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five Molotov cocktails were thrown towards The George Hotel on Cecil Street in South Melbourne on May 2.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have established Operation Eclipse to investigate these incidents and whoever is behind them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The task force has arrested 51 people since 27 April in relation to 38 incidents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Thirty-eight of the 51 arrests have been achieved on the hop, so as people were about to commit offences, they've been arrested," Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said last week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/fighter-jets-collide-us-air-force-base-air-show-idaho/27e0ff43-7d41-4a9a-b810-a82dd0b0ffe4" rel="" target="" title="Fighter jets collide mid-air at US Air Force show"><strong><span>Fighter jets collide mid-air at US Air Force show</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Victoria Police response is working. We are catching people as they're about to commit these offences.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're out there every night, every morning, and we're catching them in the act."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite making more than four dozen arrests, detectives admit they haven't been able to get the bottom of who is behind the attacks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We haven't had those clear demands from serious and organised crime that you'd expect and that we saw through the illicit tobacco conflict," Kelly said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are keeping an open mind. Everything is still on the table."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are working heavily in relation to some avenues of enquiry and that includes offshore [sydnicates]."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anybody with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers </span><a href="http://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/" target="_blank" title="online"><span>online</span></a><span> or on 1800 333 000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>