No arrests have been made almost three weeks on from when an investigation began into a spree of deliberate fires in Aberdeen.
Officers in the Granite City have been working since mid-February to “analyse trends” in order to catch those responsible for a campaign of wilful fire-raisings last month, but we can confirm that no one has yet been arrested or charged.
That’s after February saw a total of nine incidents of wilful fires across Aberdeen, which pushed firefighters in the city to their limit.
The alarming campaign came to a head when Dyce Academy was forced to close for a number of days from February 19.
It was preceded by another fire at a derelict building in Tillydrone less than 24 hours earlier. Other incidents at Bridge of Don, Rosemount and Den of Maidenscraig were also recorded.
Now, The Press and Journal understands that Police Scotland is not ruling out the possibility that these incidents are linked.
But, police have confirmed that no action has been taken against the individuals who caused these “destructive” acts.
It has prompted Martin Greig, convener of the council’s education committee, to call for swift arrests for the perpetrators.
He said: “It’s totally unacceptable to think that offenders could avoid responsibility for their wrong doing. The fires are disgraceful and cause huge safety risks.
“The damage to property is immense and costly. There must be people out there who can help the police identify the culprits.”
Police ‘analysing trends’ in search for Aberdeen fire spree culprits
Enquiries into the nine incidents reported on by The Press and Journal are continuing, and police have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Chief Inspector Steven McDonald, North Aberdeenshire Area Commander, said: “Anti-social behaviour such as wilful fire-raisings causes misery for local residents and will not be tolerated.
“We are working to identify all those involved in recent incidents and direct people away from this mindless activity and ensure a safer community.
“We are aware of an increase in these incidents since the start of the year and continually analyse crime trends and respond accordingly.
“While it must be stressed that not all recent incidents are believed to involve young people, officers engage with parents and guardians to ensure that they are aware of the impact of their children’s behaviour.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s local senior officer for Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray, Andrew Wright added: “Deliberately setting fires is not only reckless, but it can damage communities and endanger lives.
“While not all incidents are a result of anti-social behaviour, our staff work extremely hard to engage with the public to prevent these types of incidents because they are a needless drain on our resources.”
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