Residents in Lossiemouth were woken from their beds after five cars were destroyed by, what police are calling, “wilful” fire raising.
The cars in a resident parking area at Fairisle Place were destroyed after one car was set alight and the others went up with it.
Neighbours believe the incident happened due to “drug” issues.
Police received reports of a car fire on Fairisle Place on Friday, January 6, at around 1am.
Three fire appliances from Elgin and Lossiemouth attended the incident just after 1am and the fire was extinguished within 20 minutes.
However, the fire had already spread quickly to five vehicles and three were completely destroyed.
Lorraine Robertson is one of the resident’s whose car is now unusable.
Unlike most residents on her street, Mrs Robertson and her husband, Murray, slept through the incident and only discovered the damage when her husband got up to walk the dog before work.
“He always goes round by the car to check for no flat tyres, the usual stuff and it was all taped off,” she said.
“The police were all sitting there and I had to go out and give them a statement.
“It was more an hour later when it hit and the tears started yesterday and I don’t think they stopped all day.”
Neighbours thought ‘there were guns going off’
Mrs Robertson said a couple of neighbours who were awake when the fire was ongoing, had managed to drive their slightly damaged cars away.
“They said it was horrific,” the 55-year-old said.
“People further down the street, they were out because they thought there were guns going off. Someone else said they thought a plane had crashed.
“Everybody’s still a bit in shock. I opened the curtains this morning, saw my car sitting in the carpark and burst into tears.”
The couple are now struggling to get a hire car through the insurance company which she needs to help get her husband to work in Elgin for 6am on Monday.
She has already had to cancel dropping off the usual fortnightly shopping for her 83-year-old mum in Aberdeen today.
Mrs Robertson said herself and several neighbours believe one of the cars was targeted due to drug related issues.
A resident in the area for 12 years, she said she thought it was a “respectable neighbourhood”.
She added: “The worst we’ve ever seen is somebody has let down one of our tyres and that’s the worst I’ve ever seen and I’ve been living here for 12 years.”
Police appealing for information and CCTV footage
Officers have said the fire is being treated as wilful and inquiries are still ongoing.
They are appealing for anyone with CCTV footage from the area or information on the incident to contact police.
A police spokesman said: “Around 1am on Friday, January 6, police were called to the Fairisle Place area of Lossiemouth, following a report of a car fire, which caused damage to five vehicles in total.
“The fire is being treated as wilful and inquiries into the matter are ongoing.
“Anyone with information or potential CCTV footage from the area is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident 0103 of January 6.
“Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
