Bristol arson attacks: CCTV released in investigation

CCTV footage has been released by police in connection with a spate of "shameful" arson attacks on vehicles.

Police said 25 vehicles were targeted in north Bristol on 3 April.

The attack caused hundreds of thousands pounds worth of damage to vehicles belonging to charities relied upon by vulnerable people, officers said.

A review of the videos has identified two people - believed to be teenage boys or young men - that Avon and Somerset Police want to speak with.

Several hours of CCTV and other footage has already been collated by officers or handed in by members of the public.

Police said two people are seen in the footage setting fire to the first vehicle at 01:09 GMT on New Road before heading north where they carried out further attacks on Gatcombe Road at 01:33 GMT and then on Sandringham Road at 01:47 GMT.

Nearly 45 minutes later, at 02:30 GMT, they targeted vehicles parked at the Jubilee Centre on Savages Wood Road before doubling back to Little Stoke playing fields where they set more vehicles on fire at 03:09 GMT.

Seven locations were attacked in the Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford area

The arsonists then headed west to a car park behind the Rolls Royce site on Gipsy Patch Lane where they destroyed 16 minibuses before most likely retracing their steps to set fire to a vehicle on Sherbourne Avenue, police added.

Vehicle owners for all but three of those targeted have been identified - with a Mini and two minibuses too badly damaged to trace their owners.

Det Insp Will Thorpe said officers have "already made significant progress" in the early stages of the investigation.

"We remain open-minded about the motive for these attacks," he said.

"We don't believe the offenders have specifically targeted particular vehicles.

"All the victims have been significantly inconvenienced by this shameful crime spree."