Police investigating as man has vehicles set on fire twice outside home

A MAN has been out of work for more than a month after his work truck was set fire to outside his mum’s house, before his replacement van was set alight weeks later. The 36-year-old landscaper initially had his work van targeted while it was parked on a driveway Waltham Crescent, Southend, last month.  The vehicle was replaced with a new van, but in the early hours of Monday morning the new van was set on fire and also destroyed. 

>> Major road closed by Essex Police after serious crash Both vehicles were parked outside his 60-year-old mum’s home at the time, with her son worried the fire could easily have spread to nearby homes or other cars.  The son said: “It could have killed anybody inside the house if it wasn’t for the neighbours and fire brigades’ quick response.

“I don’t live at my mums anymore, but I visit and stay once a week, and she lets me keep my work truck on there. “We got through the pain of the first one, and now it has happened again, I just can’t believe it.   “My mum has to live their by herself, and she doesn’t even sleep now, because she is worried, but she doesn’t’ want to leave her house, as that is her home.

“It is a big insult, and an expensive one too.  “Not only have I lost two vehicles, I have lost workers, I have lost jobs, it has been detrimental to my business, I haven’t been able to work since.” Essex Fire and Essex Police are investigating the incidents.

A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called to a van on fire in Waltham Crescent, Southend, on Monday at 1.32am. “A crew from Southend attended and extinguished the fire by 2.15am, stopping it from spreading to the property. “An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause.”

A spokesman for Essex Police added: “We are investigating after a van was set alight in Waltham Crescent, Southend, at around 1.15am on Monday 11 April. “No one was hurt, and our enquiries are ongoing. “We need anyone who saw anything or has any CCTV, dash cam, or doorbell footage to contact us.

“If you have any information, you can submit a report online at https://www.essex.police.uk or use the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

“Please quote crime reference number 42/90457/22.”