Cars torched during night of destruction (From Crewe Guardian)

Cars torched during night of destruction

2:13pm Wednesday 11th July 2012 in News By Matthew Taylor

VEHICLES parked within a mile of one another were deliberately set alight in Crewe during a spate of arson attacks early on Tuesday morning, July 3.

Four cars were torched in less than 25 minutes in a repeat of similar vandalism that marred neighbourhoods in May.

Firefighters from Crewe and Nantwich were called out just before 5am.

The first two incidents involved a yellow Ford Ka and black Vauxhall Astra, parked only 60 yards apart on Greystone Park and Earle Street.

Minutes later, police officers used a fire extinguisher before flames could engulf a red Vauxhall Vectra parked in Harrison Drive.

Firefighters from Nantwich then had to attend a property on Bateman Close at 5.13, where a red Volkswagen Polo was torched while parked on a driveway, damaging the front of a garage.

Colin Heyes, arson reduction manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This sort of crime is extremely dangerous, destroys property and often puts the lives of the public and firefighters at considerable risk.

“These incidents also take up a lot of valuable time and resources, and could divert us from more serious emergencies.

"We would advise local people to be on their guard and report anyone they see acting suspiciously.”

Lindsay Chamberlain, Crewe Northern Policing Unit Inspector, said such ‘destructive, mindless vandalism’ would ‘not be tolerated’.

He added that detectives were currently trawling though CCTV to try to identify the perpetrators.

Ian Swan, the Fire Investigation officer at the scene of the arson attacks, said: “We are treating the fires as arson, so if anyone saw anything suspicious around 5am on this day, or has any information which could help catch whoever set light to these cars, then they should call police.”

Anyone with information should contact Crewe CID on 101, quoting incident 105 and 103 of 10 July 2012.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.