Car set alight outside house in ‘deliberate’ fireraising

Police are hunting two men who deliberately set a car on fire outside a house after using the vehicle to smash through the gates of the property.

Officers said they believe that it was not a random attack and that the householder was the “intended victim” of the incident in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire.

A grey coloured Ford C-Max vehicle smashed through the gates of a house in Forrest Street at around 1.10am on Thursday.

Two men then got out of the vehicle and one of them threw an item at the car which set it alight, after which both of them ran off.

The householder called the fire service who went to the scene and put out the blaze.

No-one was injured in the incident, which police are treating as wilful fire-raising.

Police are now carrying out forensic tests on the vehicle.

Detective Sergeant Clare Cassidy ay Coatbridge CID said: “Our enquiries so far have led us to believe that this was not a random incident and that the householder was the intended victim.

“We are currently try to establish whether the car was stolen, but due to its burnt out condition, this may take some time.

“Officers are viewing CCTV footage in the area to help identify those responsible and appeal to anyone in the area who may have seen the culprits hanging around the area either before or afterwards to contact police immediately.”

One of the suspects was wearing dark clothing with a dark hood and the other wore a grey puffer jacket with dark hood and grey trousers.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact CID at Coatbridge CID via telephone number 101 quoting incident number 0136 of 7 March 2019 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.