Arson probe as shop is targeted
POLICE ARE hunting firebugs after a car was driven into an empty shop and set alight.
A silver Volvo was reversed into the front of the shop next to Bull Green roundabout, Halifax, before the vehicle was deliberately set on fire.
Mohammad Bashy, manager at neighbouring A1 Bashy’s taxis, in Bull Green, said the arson attack at around 2.30am on Tuesday could have caused “chaos” .
Mr Bashy said: “It’s quite lucky it happened in the early morning.
“If an incident like that happened in the middle of the day, it would cause chaos for us as a business and the public. The route affected, from a taxi driver point of view, is a regular route for drivers travelling to Calderdale Royal Hospital.”
According to another neighbouring trader, the building, which had been sold by properpeople ty firm Walker Singleton in December, was vacant at the time of the incident and had been attacked by arsonists in December.
Detective Inspector Sam Lindsay, of Calderdale District CID, said: “This was a serious incident with the potential for living in neighbouring properties to come to real harm.
“No-one was injured due to the actions of the occupants of the flat above.
“This is being treated as a targeted attack, with the same property being the subject of a previous arson attack last month. We’ve extensive enquiries ongoing to identify those responsible,” she said.
“We’d ask anyone in the vicinity with information that could assist our investigation to contact Calderdale CID.”
A spokeswoman from West Yorkshire Fire Service said crews from Halifax, Illingworth, and Odsal attended the incident with the last crew leaving around 5am. Contact 101 quoting crime reference: 131200035693, or anonymously at Crimestoppers on: 0800 555 111.
“This is being treated as a targeted attack. We’ve extensive enquirires ongoing.”