Arson attacks have increased as the nation has come out of the pandemic. Home Office figures show that during the year ending in March, there were 24,811 crimes of arson recorded by police last year, a 6.9% rise on 23,218 in 2020-21, when the country was under much harsher lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic and many different types of crime decreased.
However, it is below the pre-pandemic figure of 26,167. That includes 4,116 arson attacks in 2021-22 where lives were put at risk - up from 3,950 the previous year and 4,024 before the pandemic.
Recent crimes of arson include a horrifying attack on kennels at an allotment in Rhymney, Caerphilly which killed eight dogs that were reportedly doused in petrol before they were set alight. A similarly sick crime took place in County Durham where two dogs were snatched from a garden in the village of Ouston. One of the dogs escaped, but the other was doused in petrol and set on fire.
Last year there were 566 arson attacks in Birmingham alone, the highest of any police community safety area in England and Wales, including 83 that put lives at risk. But when compared to the population, arson attacks are more likely in Blaenau Gwent in Wales than anywhere else in England and Wales. In that area, police recorded 151 crimes of arson, including 18 that endangered life. That equates to around 216 crimes for every 100,000 people.
The three areas with the highest arson rates are all in Wales. Caerphilly has the next highest rate, at around 161 crimes of arson per 100,000 residents, and then Newport (147 per 100,00 residents). Meanwhile, Middlesbrough has the highest rate in England (135 per 100,000 residents).
Separate fire service figures show that firefighters in England attended 63,723 deliberate fires last year. That includes 2,728 deliberate fires in houses and 7,770 calls to torched vehicles. But the vast majority of calls were to “secondary fires” which are generally small outdoor fires not involving people or property, such as grassland fires.
Diana Fawcett, Chief Executive at the charity Victim Support said: “The increase in incidents of arson being seen is concerning. This is especially the case where lives are endangered. The rise in arson means that more people are falling victim to this highly dangerous, traumatising and at times, life-changing crime. Although many view arson as a less serious offence, the impact turns people’s lives upside down, resulting in loss of property, injury, and even death.”
Arson carries a maximum sentence of life in prison depending on the severity of the case, evidence of planning and the intent to destroy property or put lives at risk. But some more minor offences could be punished by a community order.
Home Office figures show that someone was charged or summonsed to appear before the courts in 16.1% of crimes of arson endangering life in 2021-22, where investigations are complete. That figure drops to 1.9% of crimes of arson where lives are not put at risk - with eight in 10 of these investigations (80.8%) concluding with no suspect identified.
Deputy Chief Constable Andrew Prophet, National Police Chiefs Council lead for anti-social behaviour and arson, said: “Arson is not a low-level crime. We cannot underestimate the devastating impact it has on communities and people’s lives across the country. It directly endangers both lives and property, and in the worst cases can kill people.
“Police take all reports of arson seriously and any increase in the number of lives being put at risk by those committing arson is a serious concern. We are committed to working with partners including government and the National Fire Chiefs Council on reducing the blight of arson on communities.”
Robin Turnbull, arson and anti-social behaviour lead officer for the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “Historic long-term trends demonstrate a significant reduction in the prevalence of deliberate fires throughout our communities from around 225,000 in 2002 to approximately 64,00 in 2020, a reduction of 71% over this period.
“Arson and deliberate fire setting has a significant impact on fire and rescue service resources, with a conservative estimate of the economic cost of arson being £2.5 billion, and the wider societal impact from arson and deliberate fire setting potentially being significantly higher.
“When responding to arson and deliberate fire setting, fire and rescue service resources are diverted from statutory prevention and protection activities that proactively contribute towards the reduction of community risk. Fire and rescue services will continue to work in partnership with police forces to investigate the cause of arson and prosecute those responsible who attempt to damage or destroy property and endanger life.”
