£200 'bounty' for arsonists
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by Lee Kimber • Gangsters put out a £200-per-truck contract on a recovery operator working for Kent police before six of his vehicles, worth £500,000, were burnt out last week.
Fellow operators on the AA-managed police vehicle recovery scheme believe that this is the most recent move in a series.
The attack, which cost West Mailing-based NY Recovery three Kenworths, two Fords and a Scania, is the third in the area in six weeks—the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators has organised a meeting to urge the county's 20 operators to check their security.
"All I can tell you is that they were set alight," says NY boss Neil Yates. "But I can't tell you how they got access. We don't know who's got a twisted mind." There has been a spate of arson attacks on six Kent police contractors; three in the past six weeks. Maidstone police say they have released a man on police bail after learning of the contract to torch Yates' trucks. Forensic scientists are checking his clothing.
"We're still trying to trace the guy who has been offered £200," says DC Alan Howle, "but we're considering other possibilities as well."
Four weeks ago arsonists stole and burnt a Ford Escort van belonging to AA contractor Andy Clayton. Two weeks earlier an firebomb attack on Isle of Sheppey-based Tony Hall's workshop destroyed £40,000 worth of property and customers' vehicles.
The contractors often meet abuse collecting vehicles for police examination or in lieu of debts.