Police hunt for arsonist

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

MOSCOW police are hunting for a lone arsonist they believe is responsible for setting fire to dozens of vehicles in a week-long spree.

The wave of arson attacks has shocked the car-loving capital in Russia.

Cars were an unattainable luxury for many years and are now a treasured possession made affordable by Russia's economic boom.

Police have offered a reward for information leading to an arrest of the arsonist and called on residents to watch over parking lots at night.

Media reports say a total of 27 cars ?? from pricey Western sedans to Russian-made light trucks ?? have been burnt in Moscow since the outbreak began on May 30.

"At this stage, our main theory is that this is a mentally ill person," police spokesman Yevgeny Gildeyev said.

The concern over the arsons is heightened by the fact that many car owners do not have full insurance cover.

"One strike of a match, and their money is burnt," said Roman Mironov, a 37-year-old truck owner. "Thank God my vehicle is insured."

Russia's economic boom has led to a surge in car ownership, with many people seeing their cars as a symbol of their new-found prosperity.

Russia's car market is on course to become the biggest in Europe, and sales of foreign car brands rose by 54 percent year-on-year in the first three months of this year.

Moscow police said some of the vehicle fires may have been caused by faulty wiring, and had been falsely blamed on an arsonist.