Wild moment alleged burglars are forced to roll on a front lawn after setting themselves on fire while trying to torch a car in Wangaratta
Amazing CCTV footage has captured the moment two burglars accidentally set themselves on fire after a botched arson attack.
The bumbling burglars were trying to set fire to a car outside a house on Swinburne Drive in Wangaratta in Victoria’s north-east on Saturday night when their actions backfired.
A pool of accelerant was doused near the vehicle before the arsonists quickly moved away to ignite it from a distance, engulfing them instead.
One of the men can be seen rolling frantically on the ground while the other ran past screaming in a ball of fire as he tried to remove his burning clothes.
Victorian Police detectives released footage of the failed attempt on Tuesday in the hope of tracking down the two men.
Officers allege the men broke into the nearby home and stole personal belongings before setting fire to the car outside.
The residents were not home at the time.
The two men were last seen running towards us Cambridge Drive.
Two arsonists accidentally set themselves on fire when they tried to set a car on fire in Wangaratta on Saturday evening
Dramatic camera footage shows the moment the two men got out instead of the car
It comes days after incredible footage emerged of another arsonist accidentally setting himself on fire while allegedly trying to set fire to a fast food restaurant in Melbourne in the early hours of Christmas Day.
Emergency services rushed to a shopping street in Doncaster East at around 2.40am.
Police said two people drove to the shops on Doncaster Road in a white Toyota Tarago before approaching the outlet with a jerry can.
One offender stood guard while the other poured flammable liquid over the front of the store before setting the liquid on fire, causing a ball of flames to erupt.
Seconds later, the perpetrator jumped back as his pants burst into flames. His alleged accomplice quickly grabbed the jerry can as he ran down the street with his pants on fire.
The pair stopped a short distance from the store and tried to take off their pants.
Unsuccessfully, the man on fire is seen running down the street with their flaming pants trailing behind them, seemingly taped to their left ankle.
Anyone who witnessed an incident, or has images or information, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
CCTV footage showed the men attempting to set the car on fire before their actions backfired
Victorian police have released the images of the two men in the hope of tracking them down