Community rocked after spate of car arson in Hartlepool

Cleveland Police received reports of fires on Caledonian Road, Baden Street, Shrewsbury Street, Lansdowne Road, Osborne Road, and Brinkburn Road, all in Hartlepool, at around 1:30am on Friday.

A man, 31, has been arrested on suspicion of arson and remains in police custody at this time.

Katie Rees, a resident of Bader Street whose partner's car was one of those set ablaze, spoke of how neighbours came to their rescue.

Read more: One suspect arrested after eight cars torched in Hartlepool

She said: "All I can remember is waking up, orange flames everywhere, black smoke everywhere, neighbours screaming 'get out the house!'

"Next minute, the door gets put through, we're trying to clamber down the stairs, can't get out the front door, got out the back door, run up the back lane through down on to the street, see our car in flames.

"If we didn't have our neighbours, we would have been dead. It was shocking.

"We don't even want to live here anymore. If we didn't have commitments up here, we'd be gone today."

Read more: First pictures of Hartlepool car fires after residents evacuated

She said the fire has hit them financially, with costs from the damage done to the house and vehicle, car hire, and excess cover adding to more than £1,000.

She said cars in the area had suffered vandalism a week prior, however, this was not captured on CCTV due to it not working.

"It's gonna give us a big financial loss," she added.

Residents on Caledonian Road spoke of their shock after hearing of the arson attack on their street, as well as across the town.

One said it was very unusual for the street to see this type of incident, and added the worst they would see is people trying car doors.

Another resident spoke of how they were informed of the incident by their partner and later heard an explosion come from the car.

They said they believe they are being targeted due to a lack of police in the area at night.

Another resident on the street said they had been left worried for their neighbours and shocked by the act.

They said: "I didn't hear anything to begin with, somebody knocked on my door, it was only when I'd opened my door [that] I'd seen the flames.

"There was a couple of explosions and the fire brigade didn't take long to put it out.

"I don't know why they do it, entertainment, I guess. It's mad, absolutely mad."

Speaking on the incident earlier this afternoon, Jonathan Brash, councillor for Burn Valley ward, said: "It's outrageous, the level of criminality is absolutely disgraceful.

"I've spoken to residents this morning to try and give them some reassurance. Obviously, people are scared, understandably.

"It's just wrong, and I'm sick to death of it, it really is a case of enough is enough. People have a right to live in their homes, and in their community, and feel safe.

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"We need more police on the street, we need tougher sentencing on these people."

He called on more investment for neighbourhood policing, a fully operational police station, and for Hartlepool Magistrates' Court to be reopened.

Mr Brash added the incident was extreme and not a regular occurrence, but said Hartlepool has a crime rate 72 per cent higher than the national average and more needs to be done.