source : the age
A woman has been charged over fires allegedly targeting two Pilates studios on the Central Coast on the same morning.
Ailie Faith Wilkins, 38, has been charged in relation to the fires in January and is due to face a bail court on Friday.
Arson investigators arrested Wilkins at Kemps Creek on Thursday morning, almost six months after the blazes at Erina and Berkeley Vale.
No injuries were reported, but the two studios were significantly damaged by the fires.
The first was reported about 4.30am on January 21 at the At Pilates 24/7 franchise studio on The Entrance Road, Erina.
About 45 minutes later, emergency services were called to another blaze at the ReviveX Pilates studio on Enterprise Drive, Berkeley Vale, which had opened less than two weeks earlier.
A short time later, a car fire was reported on Cobbs Road, Mardi, thought to be linked to the attacks on the Pilates studios.
Detectives released CCTV footage in April showing a Mitsubishi SUV and Subaru Impreza near the Erina studio.
A person in a black hoodie and brown pants exits the Subaru with a jerry can and a hammer, and is then seen allegedly breaking into the studio, dousing it in fuel and setting it alight before leaving the scene.
The fire quickly takes hold, knocking out the facade of a neighbouring altitude training business as the Subaru flees.
The person in the vision is not believed to be Wilkins.
Wilkins has been charged with two counts of aggravated break and enter to commit a serious indictable offence in company, and two counts of larceny valued at less than $2000.
She was refused bail by police ahead of her court appearance on Friday, as investigations continue.
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Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
