Belfast vehicle fires treated as race hate crime

The burning of two vehicles outside a house in south Belfast is being treating as a racially motivated hate crime, police have said.

Just after 11pm on Monday officers we were contacted by a member of the public who reported that a vehicle was on fire in the Frenchpark Street area and expressed fears it could spread to a nearby house.

Police said there were two separate fires set – one on a motorcycle parked outside the living room window of the property and the second underneath a nearby car.

The motorcycle was destroyed and two windows and guttering on the house were burned.

The second fire caused damage to the wheels and engine bay of the car.

A PSNI statement said: “Colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the fires were set deliberately. We are treating this as arson with intent to endanger life, with a racial hate motivation.

“We are grateful that those present in the property were uninjured, though we are very aware that we could potentially have been dealing with much more serious consequences this morning.

“There is no place in our society for such behaviour. We will be tireless in our pursuit of those responsible for this, and any other, hate crime.”

PSNI Chief Inspector Mark Conway, area commander for south Belfast, added: “Everyone, no matter what their background, has the right to feel safe in their home.

“The Police Service are treating this incident exceptionally seriously. Local officers are working with our Criminal Investigations Department colleagues to identify the perpetrators of this incident, so that those responsible are held to account for their actions. I would appeal directly to the south Belfast community – do not let these criminals hide amongst us.”

Anyone in the area at the time, or who may otherwise have information about the incident, has been asked to come forward to police or contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously.