NSW police charge woman with arson and fraud offences after 2019 Port Macquarie fire

A second person has been charged in relation to an alleged arson attack at several Port Macquarie businesses last year.

Emergency services were called to a building on Horton Street about 4.25am on Saturday 8 June 2019, following reports the structure was well alight.

Crews from NSW Fire and Rescue attended and extinguished the blaze.

Two businesses were destroyed as a result of the fire.

Detectives from Mid North Coast Police District commenced an investigation into the cause of the blaze under Strike Force Carrer.

Last month, a 28-year-old man was charged over the incident; he remains before the courts.

Following further extensive inquiries, police attended a home on Chepana Street at Lake Cathie about 10.35am yesterday (Thursday 10 December 2020), where they arrested a 42-year-old woman.

She was taken to Port Macquarie Police Station and charged with break and enter destroy property, damage property by fire and dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.

She was refused bail to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court today (Friday 11 December 2020).

Police will allege in court the woman organised for the 28-year-old man to deliberately set fire to the business before she fraudulently claimed an insurance payout for the premises.

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