Arson task force look into car fires

Published on 3rd May 2007 in News

Two stolen cars and another one whose owner is yet to be identified were set alight and burned out last week.

The first fire involved a Ford Sierra, which was set on fire behind the industrial units on Humber Street, Old Goole, at 5.19am on Thursday.

A crew from Goole used a hose reel jet and breathing apparatus to put out the fire, but were unable to stop it spreading and damaging the guttering and glazing of a nearby building.

The car was completely destroyed and police have been unable to trace the owner as the registration plate was also damaged.

Almost 24 hours later, at 5.29am on Friday, firefighters from Goole and Snaith went to a barn in Johnson's Farm, on Swinefleet Road.

They extinguished a burning red Vauxhall Corsa, which had been stolen between 11.45pm and 11.55pm the previous day from outside the Vermuyen Hotel on Bridge Street.

And at 8.33pm on the same day (Friday), a blue Ford Mondeo was set on fire on the hard shoulder of the M18, at the junction with the M62. No one was with the vehicle when the firefighters reached it.

It had been previously been reported stolen to South Yorkshire Police, after thieves stole the keys and the car from a property in Doncaster.

Glenn Ramsden, spokesperson for Humberside Fire, stressed that the fire service always helps the police to prosecute the people responsible for the arson.

He said: "As soon as a pattern of arson attacks begins to emerge, the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service's Arson Task Force investigate the area and those involved.

"In the past this has been very effective and arson has been reduced by over 50 per cent in areas of the service.

"Members of the public should keep an eye out for anyone who is involved with arson and, if necessary, inform us.

"We have a free Arson Text Line which allows people to leave information about arson in their area.

"Arson is a criminal offence and does put lives at risk - we WILL assist the police in securing any possible conviction for arson."

The Arson Text Line number is: 07940 737141.