Appeal for witnesses and information following an arson

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information following an arson that occurred in Scarborough.

It happened in the communal entrance to a property on Prince of Wales Terrace at 11pm on Wednesday 16 March 2022.

An unknown suspect entered the property and deliberately set fire to a pile of letters which started a blaze. The suspect is then thought to have fled down Prince of Wales Terrace towards The Esplanade.

It is fortunate that the building had an automatic smoke alarm which alerted the residents and one of them managed to use a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire prior to emergency services arriving.

The fire has damaged the floor and wall of the communal lobby. This is a very concerning incident as the fire was started inside the block of flats where residents were sleeping. It could have proved fatal if it was not for the automatic fire alarm and quick actions of the residents.

Police are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. In particular, police are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen a suspect acting suspiciously near the junction on West Street and Prince of Wales Terrace around 11pm.

Police are also asking anyone who has CCTV along Prince of Wales Terrace to check footage and see if a suspicious person is seen in the area around 11pm on the Wednesday 16 March.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 751 Simon Hunter.

You can also email [email protected] If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220045093