Police backing call for streetlights after vandalism and arson attacks (From Dorset Echo)

Police backing call for streetlights after vandalism and arson attacks

2:00pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in News By Rachael Burnett

STREETLIGHTS in Weymouth are set to be turned back on at night after a spate of arsonist attacks.

Arsonists torched a Land Rover Defender in Littlemoor, with the blaze spreading to two cars parked on either side.

The attack in a resident’s car park in Kestrel View at around 4.30am yesterday destroyed two of the cars and caused serious damage to the third.

It has led to Dorset Police asking Dorset County Council to turn the lights back on in a number of streets in Littlemoor after the council decided to turn them off to save money.

Residents said they were woken by bangs and saw smoke and flames.

They are calling for the vandalism spree to stop before someone gets hurt, after four other vehicles went up in flames in two attacks last week.

One homeowner, who did not wish to be named, said: “One of those cars belongs to my daughter and son-in-law.

“My three-year-old grandson is seriously ill with croup and has to go to the hospital regularly for treatment.

“It’s their only car so I don’t know what they will do now.”

A Kestrel View resident, who also did not want to give her name, said: “I heard a bang in the night which woke me up.

“It’s quite scary that this keeps happening, a house could go up and someone could get hurt.”

Residents have been calling for the lights to be restored since April and members of the Littlemoor Community Action Group launched a petition because of fears about crime increasing.

Inspector Les Fry said the police have taken their wishes into account and have asked the council to take action.

He said: “We have listened to resident’s concerns that they don’t feel safe with the lights off.

“We have sent a request to Dorset County Council for the lights to be turned on within certain areas of Littlemoor.”

Borough councillors Rachel Rogers and Mark Tewkesbury urged the county council to listen to residents and the police.

Coun Rogers said: “I really, really hope the council listens to everyone and takes action.”

The Doves resident Dar-rin Hall, whose van was damaged in an arson attack last week, said it would be a step in the right direction.

A spokesman from Dor-set County Council said: “We have received a request from Dorset Police to return the streetlighting in Littlemoor to running the whole night rather than part of the night and this is being considered.”

SPATE OF ARSONS ACROSS THE AREA

THE attack is the latest in a spate of vandalism in recent months, including another two car fires last week.
Three vehicles and a fence were damaged when arsonists targeted a residents’ car park in The Doves at around 2am on Friday, January 4.
Firefighters were called to Alamanda Road, near Bincombe Valley Primary School, at around 11pm on Tuesday, January 1.
A vehicle belonging to a 73-year-old cancer patient was destroyed when arsonists torched it where it was parked in the Finches on December 9.
Dorset Police arrested a 13-year-old in connection with the incident.
There were two fires, believed to have been deliberately started, on Saturday, December 15.
Firefighters were called to a bin fire in Beverley Road at 7pm and a vehicle fire in Louviers Road at 10pm.
On December 2 a lit piece of paper was put through the letterbox of a house in Louviers Road. In September, a car and a caravan were destroyed after being deliberately set alight in Geelong Close.