Police have arrested a Truganina teenager following an investigation into an alleged kidnapping and tobacco store fire.
The 19-year-old boy was arrested following a short foot pursuit in the carpark of a fast-food outlet, at the intersection of Sydney and Barry roads, in Campbellfield on September 3.
The teen has been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated home invasion, common law assault and two counts each of criminal damage by fire and theft of motor vehicle.
Some of the charges follow an incident on August 5 where armed offenders allegedly entered a home by way of forced entry at Ballarat Road, Deer Park at about 5am.
The victim was allegedly assaulted and forced from the property.
He was later released and reported the incident to police.
The other charges are related to an investigation into an alleged tobacco store fire at Ingor Street in Ararat on July 6.
It is alleged, on that occasion, that a suspected accelerant was doused throughout the store before it was set alight.
As part of the investigation detectives executed a warrant at a residential home and following the arrest, they seized a quantity of an alleged drug of dependence and a significant amount of cash.
The teenager appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 4 and was remanded in custody until October 30.
The investigation remains ongoing.
