Suspects identified in South Gloucestershire arson attacks
25 vehicles were damaged across seven different locations in the early hours of Sunday
Last updated 6th Apr 2022
Police investigating who torched around two dozen vehicles across South Gloucestershire this week (Sunday 3 April) have released CCTV footage of their suspects.
More than 20 cars and vans were set alight in the early hours of Sunday across Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford.
In their latest update Avon and Somerset Police say 25 were targeted at seven different locations, causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Since the incidents officers have been reviewing CCTV footage from the area, from which they say they have identified two people of interest that they would like to talk to.
Detective Inspector Will Thorpe said: “While we’re still in the early stages of the investigation we’ve already made significant progress.
“Dozens of hours of footage from public and private CCTV and doorbell cameras has been gathered and continues to be reviewed."
There had been speculation that at least some of the vehicles may have been targeted for a specific reason, but DI Thorpe says at this stage, officers do not believe this was the case.
"The majority of the vehicles destroyed belonged to charities and it is hard to imagine that had the offenders known this, they would have deliberately set them on fire," he said.
“All the victims have been significantly inconvenienced by this shameful crime spree and we are committed to finding those responsible."
In a statement, the police say the two offenders set fire to the first vehicle at 1:09am on New Road, before heading to Gatcombe Road where they attacked more vehicles at 1:33am.
Further vehicles were damaged on Sandringham Road at 1:47am, before vehicles were targeted at the Jubilee Centre on Savages Wood Road at 2:30am.
At 3:09am more vehicles were set on fire at Little Stoke playing fields.
"The arsonists then headed west to a car park behind the Rolls Royce site on Gipsy Patch Lane where they destroyed 16 minibuses before most likely retracing their steps to set fire to a vehicle on Sherbourne Avenue," the police statement reads.
The owners have been identified for all but three of the vehicles damaged.
Officers are continuing to appeal for local residents in the area to check any camera footage they may have from the early hours of Sunday, in particular between 1am and 4:40am.
“We’re also still keen to hear from any motorists with dash camera footage who may have driven through the area as well as anyone who witnessed two people acting suspiciously," they say.