Police have launched an investigation after a BMW was firebombed by a thug who set himself on fire as he tried to escape the scene.
The white saloon was set alight in the early hours of Sunday August 28, "terrifying" neighbours and prompting a huge emergency response. The blaze was so fierce that it melted the driveway as well as both cladding and pipework on the outside of the house in Dundee's Finella Terrace.
A recovery truck was seen removing the vehicle from the scene on Monday afternoon. CID officers were also spotted at the property as the investigation continues, although no motive has been established for the attack.
Pictures from the scene show the melted remains of the motor, which was left a charred shell of a vehicle.
Locals say that a man was seen running from the scene after hurling what is believed to be a small can of petrol at the car as it sat in the driveway. Several eyewitnesses told the Record that he had set his jacket on fire in the process, and may have discarded it as he jumped into a waiting car and sped off.
One witness said: "I heard a loud, large bang, sometime after midnight. The road itself was on fire, and I looked to my right and the car was on fire.
"I phoned 999, looked up, and whoever had firebombed the car was on fire themselves and running up the road. He looked like a young man, late teens, early 20s, and the fire was on his whole right side of his body.
"He didn't make a sound - I'm guessing he didn't want to draw attention to himself. It was terrifying - like something out of Casualty."
Another resident said police had been photographing what he thought were the remnants of a jacket in the road around the corner from the scene of the crime. He added: "I heard this bang, this explosion, looked outside, and said to my partner 'that car's on fire'. If it had spread to the house it could have been so much worse. Whoever is responsible, they're absolute clowns."
The owner of the vehicle declined to comment when approached by the Record. However, a source close to the family has asked people who may know those responsible to pass the information to detectives.
They said: "This could have been so much more serious, and the people responsible are hoodlums, they are thugs, pure and simple. The more information that is out there, the more likely the people responsible are found."
The firebomb attack is not dissimilar to another attack that occurred a short distance away in the Ballumbie area of Dundee earlier this year. There is no suggestion, however, that the incidents are linked.
Detective Constable Fergus Wilson, of Tayside CID, said: “We believe the fire was set between 12.30 am and 1am. Thankfully neighbours saw the fire and emergency services were called before the fire spread further into the home.
“The motive for this attack has yet to be established and we are appealing for anyone, who has not yet come forward to police, to get in touch. From our enquiries so far, a man, dressed in a dark hooded top and tracksuit bottoms, is seen running from the car as it catches fire.
"He gets into a waiting car which is driven off at speed towards Fintry Drive. As you can imagine the car owner, and indeed neighbours, have been left quite shaken by what has happened and it is imperative that we catch whoever is responsible.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 0272 of Sunday, 28 August, 2022. Alternatively, details can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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