Kitchen Garden Forum

Two houses in the village set on fire deliberately within less than a fortnight - we're all wondering what next?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12142280

Dear Alan, house fires at the best of times are pretty horrific, but two mysterious fires in such a short time are very worrying.
Lets hope they soon get it sorted.

"Not the nine o'clock news" parody of the then British Coal Board advert:

Come home to a real fire.

Buy a holiday cottage in Wales.

I've never understood the mentality of those who harm or destroy people's property, let's hope they are soon apprehended.

Barney

Cider Boys. No doubt if caught the full force of the law will come down on them, with at least 20 hrs community service.

Hi Alan,

Is this your village? That will make it very worrying for you - I hope the owners are OK. A neighbour on one of our surrounding hills suffered a house fire during some renovations I think. Anyway, they were concerned about the safety of the house following the fire, so the husband elected to sleep there on the floor. He was woken in the small hours by a white van pulling up the drive!! Fortunately as he put the lights on the van just drove away - but they live about 1/2 a mile up one of the smaller roads that goes nowhere else!! How do these people know?

In this district thankfully it wasn't houses that were targeted but Hay Barns and Straw Barns were set on fire for two years and the suspect wasn't caught for lack of evidence but the chief suspect went to prison for five years and the day he was released they started again and eventually he was caught and went back inside. So an arsonist who certainly wasn't first in the queue when the brains were given out.
He is still inside now, thankfully. He did over £100.000. of damage and now we the the taxpayer are keeping him. I feel that he should be made to pay for the damage he did but there is absolutely no chance of that.
His excuse was that none of the farmers targeted would employ him.
He has no qualifications and bunked off school most of the time and will come out of prison after having done ten years and I'll bet that he will not have any qualifications when he resurfaces.
JB.

Maybe rather similar case here Johnboy. The village fingers are pointing strongly in the direction of a local man who was released from gaol just before Christmas after a longish stretch for - guess what - torching 30 cars!

The first fire was on Christmas night, surprise, surprise, at the end of a bridleway leading from his home. The second fire was also in a secluded property. Both houses, fortunately, were empty.

But how do the police get reliable evidence?

Alan

But how do the police get reliable evidence?


Protective custody for 4 weeks. If no fires then, but fires when he is released...balance of proof...

Undercover work? Someone makes his acquaintance and shows interest in committing arson. Tapes any conversations they have.

Try the witch test from the Middle Ages.

Tie up suspect. Throw into pond.
If they sink and drown, innocent.
If they float, they are guilty so remove and hang.

Try the witch test from the Middle Ages.

Tie up suspect. Throw into pond.
If they sink and drown, innocent.
If they float, they are guilty so remove and hang.

Maybe, my sense of humour is on holiday but I can't see why you think your comment is funny. Or why it's supposed to be funny? All it does is trivialise the serious crime of arson, and the torture of innocent people.

Hi Richward,

I don't think Madasafish was trying to trivialise the crimes, I think if anything, he (and I'm guessing here so hope I don't offend) is slightly ribbing his own earlier comment about protective custody which also appeared tongue in cheek - to me anyway. That is how I read it, and I am sorry if I have the wrong end of the stick, or have Madasafish as a man if not.

Richward,
If you cannot discern tongue-in-cheek humour you will be in for quite a rough ride on some forums including this one.
JB.