Watch moment bungling arsonist sets his own TROUSERS on fire & has to ditch them as he hot-foots from crime scene
THIS is the moment a suspected arsonist accidentally set his own trousers on fire during a bungled attempt to burn down a restaurant.
The clumsy man was forced to run hastily and ditch his pants after his campaign of arson failed terribly.
Dramatic CCTV footage shows the clumsy man along with another person – understood to be his accomplice – standing in front of the eatery.
The suspect can be seen taking fuel out from what appears to be a jerry can.
He then approaches the entrance of the restaurant in Melbourne to allegedly torch the entire place.
But instead, the bungled crook sets fire to himself.
He is then seen moving his pants down and ditching them as he tries to get away.
The second person is seen collecting the jerry can and attempting to help the person whose clothes are on fire before fleeing.
Victoria Police said emergency services were called to the fast food outlet in Doncaster East around 2.40am on December 25.
A spokesperson for police said at the time that a pair of burnt underpants and other clothing items were found at the scene.
They said: “It appears that the culprit may have set themselves alight, given that singed shoes, pants and jocks were located at the scene.”
They added that the pair got into a white Toyota Tarago, which was being driven by a third person and left the scene.
“Police are on the hunt for the only Victorian who may actually want Santa to bring underpants on Christmas Day,” cops added.
It comes after another clumsy arsonist set himself on fire as he tried to burn down a barbershop.
Footage shows two people in black clothing standing outside Gold Blade Barbers, in Canberra, Australia, at around 11.40pm on July 6.
Using a hammer, one of them begins busting a hole large enough for a human to pass through in the barbershop’s glass door.
The store had already closed for the evening when the second thug crawls inside through the broken hole and brings a can inside.
Wearing a motorbike helmet to conceal their identity, the unfortunate criminal begins pouring liquid from the can all over the shop.
They then roll around frantically on the pavement outside the store in an attempt to put out the flames.