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[STEMO]

I was fast asleep in bed when I heard the doorbell going. I could hear voices so, still half asleep, I went to the front door. A scruffy looking individual asked me if the red car parked outside was mine, because he'd just seen someone set fire to it. I looked to the side of the house and, sure enough, flames were licking up from the centre of the rear bumper. Fella who knocked was off down the road, very strange.
Runs downstairs for a closer look, by now the car is well alight and my next door neighbour is out with a bowl of water, which isn't having much effect. I grabs my garden hose and run out with that and, after a while (that plastic really is a bastard to put out) it's out. It starts again, inside and underneath. Again I put it out. Phew.
Ring police...999....busy....have to wait. Eventually get through and tell the story, and am transferred to another number for an incident number. That just rings out, so I leave the missus holding on while I go back down to speak to the neighbour. We work it out that the guy who knocked at the door had obviously started the fire and we notice a fire engine further down the road. I ring the fire brigade only to be told that there are another two incidents involving three vehicles ongoing and one of the appliances will call to check mine is properly out.
When they arrive they open all the doors to let the smoke out and declare it safe. Turns out that they have this guy on cctv somewhere and he is still wandering around 'off his head' on something. I ask if they've let the police know and they tell me yes, but they're too busy to attend at that time.
So here I am, tired, pissed off and, probably, quite a bit poorer with a £400 excess to pay once I ring the insurance. I tried to report it to their 24 hour claim line last night, but the 'system was down'.
So........a nutter wandering around torching cars and police too bust to attend, and a 24 hour claims line that only works during office hours.
Guess I'd better get up and take the dog out soon because it's Bens backgammon tournament in Bradford today, and he won't even know anything has happened till I get him up and tell him. Oh to be a tired teenager 

[STEMO]

I'll take a pic later.

[BazaJT]

Is your house upside down for you to answer the front door then run downstairs? Think I'd have been tempted to go looking for the guy with summat heavy in my hand.

[Varche]

Ye gods. What a horrible scenario.

I bet the perp was in the crowd elsewhere watching the fire brigade putting out. Any cctv?

[dave the builder]

Gutted for you Uncle Stemo 
not only the insurance excess ,it will (even with protected no claims) increase your insurance costs  both CARs and HOUSE premiums 
then you've got all the hassle of sorting a shytebox loan car ,and trying to find a replacement car ,whilst the insurance low ball you
then you'll still struggle to find a low mile ,mint replacement

thankfully , it sounds like no one got hurt
though 'Mr Matches' needs hurting  a car full of fuel blowing up can grenade bits everywhere

what a sad world we live in 

"police" need major investment and much more staff

[Lizzie Zoom]

Very sorry to hear all that Steve.  What a dreadful thing to happen.  Hope you can sort everything out to some degree of satisfaction.

 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Sorry to hear this........

The rozzer's are pretty hopeless and generally apathetic to crime.

[STEMO]

Update: He did six cars in all. Ours will probably be just a back bumper and assorted bits behind, lights all work and micro switch on the boot.


Three of the others are total write offs and one poor chap has a melted front door.

CID have just been and said that there is cctv but he hasn't seen it yet. I'm fickin knackered.

[STEMO]

If you look in front of the Audi, you will see a black mark that used to be a meriva.

[dave the builder]

Update: He did six cars in all. Ours will probably be just a back bumper and assorted bits behind, lights all work and micro switch on the boot.

If your having the repairs done through insurance ,you need to make sure EVERYTHING is done ,probably not done the paint and underbody rust proofing any favours ,and crusty insulation on wiring looms and heat damage to fuel lines is not good if left to cause problems later 
if you "diy",get a rear bumper etc ,insurance may still go up,(because you reported it to insurance) and the rozzers will include it on "crime statistics "

[redelitev6]

  WTF is the matter with people , why would you do that ?

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Six cars.....
He could end up with twenty hours of community service or a police caution....

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

.......if they catch the bastard.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

If he claims he did it to combat the damage cars do to the planet he will probably be let off and become a folk hero. 
Sometimes, it would be nice of we had U.S. gun laws. 

[STEMO]

Update: He did six cars in all. Ours will probably be just a back bumper and assorted bits behind, lights all work and micro switch on the boot.

If your having the repairs done through insurance ,you need to make sure EVERYTHING is done ,probably not done the paint and underbody rust proofing any favours ,and crusty insulation on wiring looms and heat damage to fuel lines is not good if left to cause problems later 
if you "diy",get a rear bumper etc ,insurance may still go up,(because you reported it to insurance) and the rozzers will include it on "crime statistics "

Our courtesy car will be getting arranged tomorrow (hope it's a manual three cylinder fabia like last time, wifey will enjoy driving a gutless manual  ). LV have re ted the contact number of the garage......in Kidderminster