Seconds before the blaze: Arsonists caught in Penrith attack

It’s not every day that you see something straight out of a crime thriller happening in your own backyard, but that’s exactly what unfolded in Penrith this week—and the whole shocking event was caught on camera.

Late Thursday night, just after 10 pm, two masked individuals were captured on CCTV outside a home on Hope Street, Penrith.

The footage, which has since made the rounds on Sydney radio and social media, shows the pair brazenly dousing the front of the house with petrol before attempting to set it alight.



In the video, one of the masked men can be seen carefully pouring fuel from a jerry can across the porch, while his accomplice prepares a rag—presumably to use as a makeshift torch.

The first attempt to ignite the fuel fizzles out, but undeterred, the arsonist tries again. This time, the flames leap up, quickly engulfing the front door in a fiery blaze.


Screenshot 2025-08-15 at 13.57.47.png
Chilling CCTV footage has captured two masked arsonists dousing the front of a Penrith home in petrol and setting it alight in an alleged late-night attack. Image source: 9 News Australia / Youtube. Disclaimer: This is a free use image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.



Thankfully, despite the dramatic scenes, no one was injured in the incident. NSW Police have confirmed that while the front door suffered extensive damage, the rest of the property was spared from further destruction.

It’s not yet clear whether anyone was inside the home at the time, but the quick response from emergency services likely prevented a much worse outcome.



A crime scene has now been established, and detectives are combing through evidence as they investigate what they’re calling a 'suspicious' incident.

At this stage, the motives behind the attack remain unknown, and police are appealing to the public for any information that could help identify the culprits.


Source: 9 News Australia / Youtube.​


This incident is a stark reminder of the importance of home security, especially as we see more and more stories like this cropping up in the news.

CCTV cameras, in this case, have played a crucial role, not only in capturing the crime as it happened but also in providing vital evidence for investigators.



If you’re concerned about your own home security, there are a few simple steps you can take to help deter would-be criminals:
  • Install security cameras: As this story shows, CCTV footage can be invaluable in both deterring crime and assisting police investigations.
  • Keep your property well-lit: Motion-activated lights can make it harder for intruders to approach unnoticed.
  • Get to know your neighbours: A close-knit community is often the best defence against crime. Look out for each other and don’t hesitate to report anything suspicious.
  • Consider a monitored alarm system: These can provide peace of mind, especially if you travel frequently or live alone.
We know that stories like this can be distressing, but they also highlight the resilience and vigilance of our communities. If you have any information about the Penrith incident, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Read more: Is this part of your house at risk? The social media trend you need to avoid now
Key Takeaways
  • Chilling CCTV footage has captured two masked arsonists dousing the front of a Penrith home in petrol and setting it alight in an alleged late-night attack.
  • The attackers initially struggled to ignite the accelerant, but eventually succeeded, causing flames to engulf the front door and inflict extensive damage.
  • NSW Police have confirmed that no-one was injured in the incident, and a crime scene has been established as detectives investigate the suspicious fire.
  • It remains unclear whether anyone was inside the home at the time of the attack, with further updates expected as the investigation continues.

Have you ever experienced or witnessed something similar in your neighbourhood? What steps do you take to keep your home safe? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below!
 

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Years ago I witnessed a house getting shot at and it was broad daylight in the middle of the day.

I ran outside in time to see the person who did it as he dropped the gun on the grass.
He had a yellow hoodie on and the look he gave me spoke a thousand words
 
Years ago I witnessed a house getting shot at and it was broad daylight in the middle of the day.

I ran outside in time to see the person who did it as he dropped the gun on the grass.
He had a yellow hoodie on and the look he gave me spoke a thousand words
Lucky for you they never came back & tried to torch your house like this story!
 
And I bet if they are caught there won't be an $825,000 fine (if any consequences at all), unlike the poor ebike business owner for non-compliance (if he hires out ebikes with batteries that potentially may catch fire he could cop such a harsh fine- a soft target it seems gets harsher penalties than real criminals deliberately trying to harm people/victims)!
See these stories time & time again these days, justice system so wrong/messed up!
 
And I bet if they are caught there won't be an $825,000 fine (if any consequences at all), unlike the poor ebike business owner for non-compliance (if he hires out ebikes with batteries that potentially may catch fire he could cop such a harsh fine- a soft target it seems gets harsher penalties than real criminals deliberately trying to harm people/victims)!
See these stories time & time again these days, justice system so wrong/messed up!
Exactly.
But the way the government and the judiciary look at it is, criminals don't have any money, business owners do.
So yeah, I guess it's all about money.
 
Years ago I witnessed a house getting shot at and it was broad daylight in the middle of the day.

I ran outside in time to see the person who did it as he dropped the gun on the grass.
He had a yellow hoodie on and the look he gave me spoke a thousand words
A robber in Blacktown, who had just robbed Kmart, ran across a road I was driving on, and as I slowed down at a roundabout, he approached me and put his gun in my face.
I don't know why I did this, but probably because my wife was in the car and I wasn't about to give my car and my wife to this criminal. I planted my foot on the accelerator and drove straight over the top of the roundabout, flowers and all, and did a cool turn right turn, almost collected a telegraph pole and sped away.
I found out later that he had no luck in getting a car, and as he ran down the road, he collided with a police paddy wagon coming out of a side street. A few people I talked to said "Yep, he ran smack bang into it."
 
Thankfully we have nothing like this (yet) happening in our small Regional town ..... 🤫
 
Exactly.
But the way the government and the judiciary look at it is, criminals don't have any money, business owners do.
So yeah, I guess it's all about money.
Perhaps yer, tho I'm not sure an ebike/escooter hirer would have $800,000 laying around either?
And how about decent jail time if fines unaffordable to the crims (junkies/dealers probablycan afford better than common folk too)!
 
Perhaps yer, tho I'm not sure an ebike/escooter hirer would have $800,000 laying around either?
And how about decent jail time if fines unaffordable to the crims (junkies/dealers probablycan afford better than common folk too)!
Yep, that's true. But I'm sure there are some criminals that are super rich, but not most of them.
But I agree with you that the poor old business owner is not a criminal, he's just in the sights of a money hungry government.
 
Has anybody here considered that this type of crime is connected in any way to the increase in Middle Eastern immigration?
I had a neighbour next door when I lived in Sydney, targeted by a Middle Eastern Crime gang after his daughter disassociated herself from one of the gangs members.
As a reminder, they thru a gas bomb thru her fathers car front window one night.
A couple of police officers interviewed myself and my neighbour. They told us that this particular crime gang from Granville in Sydney, was a large middle eastern family that had their fingers in most criminal activities, and were considered to be untoucjhable because of their wealth from crime and their legal connections.
Starting to sound like a Mafioso?
 
Years ago I witnessed a house getting shot at and it was broad daylight in the middle of the day.

I ran outside in time to see the person who did it as he dropped the gun on the grass.
He had a yellow hoodie on and the look he gave me spoke a thousand words
You had a close call , luckyhe dropped the gun or we would have heard a different story @ Suzanne, has that episode affected you in anyway. Or do you have nerves of steel.?
 
You had a close call , luckyhe dropped the gun or we would have heard a different story @ Suzanne, has that episode affected you in anyway. Or do you have nerves of steel.?
I didn't think about it until later.
Moments later the police and detectives arrived and taped off the street.

We actually thought someone was shot.

The people who lived in the house that got shot up was into all types of crime .

I wouldn't say I have nerves of steel but where I grew up I saw it all. My problem is I don't get scared I go into protective mode and that is a different side of me. I grew up around pretty tough people and it was fight to survive or you would be in trouble.
 
Has anybody here considered that this type of crime is connected in any way to the increase in Middle Eastern immigration?
I had a neighbour next door when I lived in Sydney, targeted by a Middle Eastern Crime gang after his daughter disassociated herself from one of the gangs members.
As a reminder, they thru a gas bomb thru her fathers car front window one night.
A couple of police officers interviewed myself and my neighbour. They told us that this particular crime gang from Granville in Sydney, was a large middle eastern family that had their fingers in most criminal activities, and were considered to be untoucjhable because of their wealth from crime and their legal connections.
Starting to sound like a Mafioso?
Agree 100% and to me the answer is as each one gets caught send them back from where they came from
 
Agree 100% and to me the answer is as each one gets caught send them back from where they came from
Enough rubbish has been let into Australia, close the flood gates.
 
Years ago I witnessed a house getting shot at and it was broad daylight in the middle of the day.

I ran outside in time to see the person who did it as he dropped the gun on the grass.
He had a yellow hoodie on and the look he gave me spoke a thousand words
I don’t know that I’d have ran out at the sound of bullets being fired outside of a shooting range…..Gee you were brave being seen by one of the shooters 🌹
 
A robber in Blacktown, who had just robbed Kmart, ran across a road I was driving on, and as I slowed down at a roundabout, he approached me and put his gun in my face.
I don't know why I did this, but probably because my wife was in the car and I wasn't about to give my car and my wife to this criminal. I planted my foot on the accelerator and drove straight over the top of the roundabout, flowers and all, and did a cool turn right turn, almost collected a telegraph pole and sped away.
I found out later that he had no luck in getting a car, and as he ran down the road, he collided with a police paddy wagon coming out of a side street. A few people I talked to said "Yep, he ran smack bang into it."
You have good quick thinking skills……I don’t think anyone knows how they’d react in a life or death situation until we are faced with it…..lots of people would say, I’d have done this or that, but they couldn’t know without that really scary eventuality……
 
Agree 100% and to me the answer is as each one gets caught send them back from where they came from
I agree with you 100% on that….and it needs to be done doesn’t it, to send the message…..if a person can be identified then they absolutely need to be sent home….We have enough problems to sort out our own….if the real problems are caused by immigrants or refugees then that needs to be looked at…and the right people sent away from our shores……will it happen? Your guess is as good as mine 🤷‍♂️
 
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Has anybody here considered that this type of crime is connected in any way to the increase in Middle Eastern immigration?
I had a neighbour next door when I lived in Sydney, targeted by a Middle Eastern Crime gang after his daughter disassociated herself from one of the gangs members.
As a reminder, they thru a gas bomb thru her fathers car front window one night.
A couple of police officers interviewed myself and my neighbour. They told us that this particular crime gang from Granville in Sydney, was a large middle eastern family that had their fingers in most criminal activities, and were considered to be untoucjhable because of their wealth from crime and their legal connections.
Starting to sound like a Mafioso?
Yes, absolutely agree this is a factor…sometimes it’s a mockery when people swear to becoming an Australian and it’s sad if that happen….I didn’t think I’d feel such pride and emotion when I became Australian, nor did my son when he did it with me….there was definitely a warm feeling…..I’ve since found out that there are some people who just don’t care about that kind of pride……..I don’t know, but I’d hate to think that money might be a concerning factor these days…. Of course we would never know……On the other side in America, I’d like to know how many green cards or weren’t they called gold cards , have been given , out to those who could buy it for US$5,000,000…..no question asked…
 

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