City gangs playing with fire

Published on Tuesday 29 July 2008 10:40

YOUNGSTERS are risking their lives to take pictures of burning cars to use on gang websites.

Images of a blazing vehicle were posted on the Bebo site of local gang Young Lochend Shamrock, and appeared to have been taken from inside the car as the fire took hold.

Another close-up image shows the car ablaze, while subsequent photographs showed police inspecting the burnt-out patch of grass where the vehicle was.

It comes after the Evening News reported earlier this month how the charred shells of two cars were discovered behind Hermitage Park Grove, Lochend, though it is not clear if this was the same incident as the ones in the Bebo pictures.

Other images on the site show burning scooters and motorbikes, with users leaving admiring comments about the stunt.

But the youngsters' actions have been condemned by the emergency services, who said they were risking their lives by getting into a car which had just been set alight.

David Mallin, the community safety manager for Lothian and Borders fire service, said such problems intensified over school holidays. "We have a real problem with this at this time and when there's lighter nights and drier days there seems to be more of a temptation to experiment with fire," he said.

"There are obvious dangers doing this, but also with the kind of materials used in cars these days just one whiff of some of the fumes close up could cause permanent lung damage and chemicals can burn badly too.

"Not only does it take the fire service time and resources away from genuine emergencies but it makes life unpleasant in the communities that they do these things in.

"I would also urge parents to get to know where their children are and what they're doing if there's a suspicion they are involved."

Bebo is commonly used by young gangs in Edinburgh to taunt rivals, arrange fights and post pictures of members posing with weapons. Police are known to monitor the sites, although most of the comments and threats are generally considered to be examples of posturing and bravado.

A police spokesman said: "Deliberate fire-raising is an issue that we treat extremely seriously as a force, and we are committed to making sure that those who engage in such criminal behaviour are dealt with robustly.

"An investigation is under way in order to track down whoever is responsible for setting these cars alight, and we want anyone with any information that can assist our inquiries to get in touch as soon as possible."