Tractor and house targeted in twin arson attacks in Co. Armagh
Two suspected arson attacks struck Co. Armagh this week, with a tractor burnt out and a house damaged by fire. Police are appealing for witnesses.
PSNI investigates linked arson attacks in Newtownhamilton area
Agriland.ie reports that police in Northern Ireland are appealing for information after two suspected arson attacks in Co. Armagh, which investigators believe may be connected.
Sergeant Wilson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that officers attended a report of a fire at a house on School Terrace in Newtownhamilton. Around midnight, a second report was received that a tractor had been set alight at a separate property in the Tullyneil Road area.
Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the house fire and extinguished the blaze. Smoke damage was caused throughout the property, though Sergeant Wilson confirmed there were no reports of injuries.
"At this stage, it is believed that the fire was started deliberately, and our enquiries are ongoing this morning to establish the circumstances of the incident," Sergeant Wilson said.
The tractor fire was dealt with by the occupants of the property, but the PSNI confirmed that "the full cab of the vehicle was burnt out as a result of the incident."
A car was reported to have been seen leaving the area in the direction of Newtownhamilton around the time of the tractor fire, Sergeant Wilson added.
The PSNI said its enquiries into both incidents are continuing, and that the two reports "may be linked." Officers are asking anyone with information to come forward.
In a broader appeal, the PSNI urged rural communities to remain vigilant, repeating its guidance that "good neighbours and vigilance are the most effective deterrent against crime." The service advised farmers to regularly check fields where livestock are grazing, maintain hedges, fences and gates, and keep sheds and stockyard gates locked. It also recommended that vehicles, plant, trailers and equipment be secured or immobilised when not in use, and that high-value items such as quads and cattle trailers be kept in a securely locked shed and out of sight overnight.
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)