A suspicious-looking man with an unusual gait is wanted over the attempted murder of a restaurateur who was stabbed and left for dead in his burning Sydney eatery.
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The blaze broke out at the Essenza Italian restaurant on Crown Street in Surry Hills about 11am on July 4 after the man was attacked and stabbed multiple times by an assailant.
The 37-year-old man was rescued from his residence above the restaurant by a passing delivery driver who arrived just in the nick of time.
The injured man was taken to hospital with stab wounds and burns and is now recovering.
However his dog, a young German Shepherd, perished in the blaze.
Police said the incident was being treated as an attempted murder and on Tuesday released CCTV footage of a suspect with a medium build and abnormal gait, moving through the premises before it was set alight.
With his face covered, the suspect was not recognisable to the victim.
"We're still attempting to establish the actual motive but I'm confident we'll get to the bottom of it," NSW Police detective chief inspector Adam Johnson told reporters.
"I'm very confident someone out there knows who this person is.
"There's significant damage. The restaurant is the downstairs area, there's a residence upstairs, but both areas have been significantly damaged by fire, which is quite clearly intentional."
Police said fires were started in multiple areas of the restaurant which was closed at the time.
The Good Samaritan delivery driver, Ibrahim El Akkaoui, on July 4 told reporters when he arrived at the restaurant he heard the victim screaming from the upper floor.
He and two others braved the flames and headed upstairs and passed the injured man through a window to waiting firefighters.
Australian Associated Press
