Dundee police chiefs say they are asking petrol stations to halt cash fuel sales amid a “significant spike” in the number of cars being deliberately set on fire across the city.
A new report reveals that between October and December last year, 35 vehicle fire-raisings were recorded in Dundee.
The majority of these, police say, were linked to disputes between criminal associates.
Others were connected to the commission of acquisitive crime or set alight to destroy forensic evidence gathering opportunities.
A “small proportion” were assessed as domestic abuse related and a number were set alight after vehicles have been abandoned in public locations for a considerable time.
To address the problem, police say they are working with petrol stations to request that they scrutinise fuel sales and ask, where possible, to only accept credit card sales.
The report from Chief Superintendent Nicola Russell also said all vehicle fire-raisings are subject to review by detective officers to maximise evidence recovery.
Offences with obvious links to criminal disputes or domestic abuse are also pursued by CID.
As a result of their investigations, one man was reported for five separate vehicle fires.
Separately, two teenagers were also reported to the Youth Justice Assessor over two fires.
This, the reports details, is to maximise detection opportunities and deter potential offenders.
Chief Superintendent Russell concludes that whilst vehicle fire-raising is a “complex issue”, the risk to the wider public is relatively low and no victim or member of the public has been injured because of these offences.
Councillors on the local authority’s scrutiny committee will review the report when they meet next week.
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