Police have arrested three men over a violent armed robbery and house fire at Coles Bay, on Tasmania’s east coast.
Tasmania Police detectives carried out an operation in Launceston yesterday afternoon, resulting in arrests at properties in the suburbs of South Launceston, Prospect and Invermay.
The three men remain in custody at the Launceston Remand Centre and have not been charged.
Grant Whelan is recovering in hospital. (Supplied)
In the early hours of Saturday morning, 76-year-old Grant Whelan was bound and assaulted at his home, had nine guns stolen, and was left outside to watch his house burn down.
He remains in the Royal Hobart Hospital in a stable condition.
Detective Inspector David Gill said the guns had not been recovered at this stage.
“While it is pleasing we have arrested three people in relation to this serious incident, it is concerning the firearms stolen from the property still remain in our community,”
he said.
“We are repeating our call for people with knowledge of the location of the firearms to come forward, and if anyone is approached to buy or store firearms on behalf of another person, then they should be contacting police.”
Grant Whelan lost most of his possessions in the fire. (ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough)
