Woman accused of fires and car thefts across two states
Alannah Piscopo, 22, allegedly participated in a five-month crime spree across Victoria and South Australia involving car thefts and fires.
A Ballarat woman has been accused of helping two men steal cars and set fires to destroy evidence. Police allege the trio operated between January and May 2026.
On January 27, they allegedly stole a car near Ballarat. The car caught fire in Dunkeld on a catastrophic fire ban day.
The blaze burned about 30 to 50 square metres of grassland. On February 9, another stolen car allegedly sparked a major fire at Mount Gambier.
It destroyed several caravans. Police say CCTV footage shows Alannah Piscopo at a petrol station filling containers before the Dunkeld blaze.
Phone data places her at Mount Gambier during that fire. The police informant told court that Piscopo took a support role.
She booked accommodation and helped the men stay hidden. This allowed them to drive recklessly across state borders.
- 22
- Piscopo's age
- January to May 2026
- Crime spree duration
- February 9, 2026
- Mount Gambier fire date
Why it mattersThe case shows how vehicle thefts can escalate to arson with public safety risks, especially on high-fire-risk days when a single blaze can spiral out of control.
AustraliaThe alleged fires happened in regional Victoria and South Australia; the charges underscore rising arson risk linked to car theft rings in rural Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 7 d ago
