There are fears a serial fireraiser is at work in Glenrothes after seven cars were destroyed in the space of four days.
In the early hours of Monday a car was set on fire inside a lock-up garage onSinclair Avenue, with the resulting blaze destroying five vehicles and six garages.
Another two cars were targeted in the Alexander Road area on Thursday morning.
Emergency services were called to the area and managed to control the fires before they could spread to nearby houses.
Detective Sergeant Samantha Davidson said: “Although I have no informationlinking both incidents, they are similar in many respects.
“It appears that there was an attempt to steal one of the cars in Alexander Road, before it was set on fire.
“The second car was totally destroyed and I am unable to say whether an attempt had been made to steal that car before it was set on fire.
“What is clear, however, is that those responsible have total disregard to the safety of the occupants of nearby houses and had it not been for the prompt response of the fire services, it is entirely possible that the fires may have spread to nearby properties.”
Valerie Boughtwood was left “heart-broken” after her car was destroyed in theSinclair Avenue blaze.
“I was in shock for the whole day,” she said. “I was actually shaking because of it.
“I don’t think that it was a vindictive attack, it was probably just pure arson. But what I don’t understand is, why they do it.
“Now, all of our insurance premiums go up for the next five years and for what? It’s just senseless.”
Mrs Boughtwood’s four-year-oldHyundai i20, which she had owned since new, was in the garage.
Along with items she was collecting for a car boot sale, she believes that all of her possessions are likely to be written off by insurers, although they are yet to examine the scene due to ongoing police inquiries and the presence of asbestos.
The community has rallied in theaftermath of the fire, although there isshock that such an act could be committed in what is generally a peaceful part of town.
Police have already issued descriptions of two men they want to speak to in relation to Monday’s attack.
Anyone with information about the fires is asked to contact police on 101.