Police have confirmed they are hunting two serial fireraisers in Glenrothes following another suspicious blaze in the town.
Three more cars were destroyed late on Wednesday night when five garages in Douglas Place, South Parks, were set alight.
It is the fourth suspicious fire in the past fortnight that has seen cars and other property targeted in what appear to be random attacks on lock-up garages and vehicles.
Last Monday a set of lock-ups in Sinclair Avenue, near Douglas Place, were torched, destroying five cars and causing more than £100,000 of damage.
With the latest incident taking place just streets away, coupled with thecircumstances surrounding the blaze, Detective Sergeant Samantha Davidson said there is strong reason to believe the incidents are linked.
“Due to the similarities and proximity of these two incidents, we believe that these two fires are linked,” she said. “We are very eager to trace these two individuals so that they can be brought to justice.”
Fire crews were called to Douglas Place at around 10pm but were unable to stop the initial fire in one garage spreading to afurther four. Like the incident in Sinclair Avenue last week, two hooded men were seen in the area, said to be around 5ft 8in and wearing dark clothing.
Just days after that fire, two cars inAlexander Road, Warout, were set on fire deliberately, with police saying at least one of the vehicles had been targeted by thieves beforehand.
Fears that a serial fireraiser or copycat was operating grew further after a car in Warout Road was destroyed last Friday.
Officers from Glenrothes CID were spotted around Douglas Place yesterday morning, conducting inquiries alongside specialist officers from the Scottish Fire andRescue Service’s Fire Investigation Unit.
Graham Arnott, Glenrothes fire station manager, said: “Deliberate fire setting is an offence and we’re appealing to the public to be vigilant.
“Those who start these fires deliberately are not only wasting time and resources, they must remember it could be someone they know who may be in serious danger elsewhere but firefighters have been delayed due to their actions.”