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National

Police charge Gosnells man after patrol cars doused in accelerant and burned in Fremantle

An alleged arsonist accused of torching three marked police cars in Fremantle has made a brief appearance in court after being charged by detectives.

Police revealed yesterday the vehicles had been doused in accelerant and set alight while parked on Leake Street just after 11:00pm on Sunday.

The two secure police vans and one sedan were outside Fremantle police station when they were set alight and completely destroyed.

Officers inside the station saw the flames coming from the vehicles and called firefighters.

Arson Squad detectives charged 27-year-old Dwayne Anthony White from Gosnells with criminal damage by fire over the incident.

Mr White appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court today and was not required to enter a plea.

He was remanded in custody and will reappear in court by video link on March 16.

As part of their investigation into the arson attack, police released CCTV footage yesterday showing a man inside a nearby petrol station and then later walking away from the scene carrying a small fuel can.

Nobody was injured in the fires and the station remained fully operational.

Police security to be reviewed

WA Police Commander Greg Knott said there would be a review of security in the wake of the incident.

"We need to have a look at our parking arrangements down there at Fremantle, and our other facilities across the state," he said.

Police have not put a dollar figure on the damage, but Commander Knott said the cars were written off.

Police computers, uniforms, police radios and medical kits inside the cars were also destroyed.

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