Man jailed for arson spree in South Gloucestershire

Daniel Cron set fire to 20 vehicles, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage

A man who set fire to 20 vehicles and a fence has been jailed for three years.

Daniel Cron, 26, of 11a Eleventh Avenue, Filton, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of arson on 24 November 2022.

He and an unidentified accomplice set fire to scores of vehicles in Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire, on 3 April 2022.

"It was only by sheer luck that nobody was seriously injured or killed," Insp Steve Davey from Avon and Somerset Police said.

A large number of the vehicles set alight were minibuses that belonged to a community group to provide transport for vulnerable people.

About 15 minibuses were burned out in Patchway during the arson attacks

After an appeal for CCTV footage, police said dozens of people sent in videos from doorbell cameras and dashcams.

Officers used that footage to track Cron and his associate as they set fire to vehicles over a three-and-a-half hour period.

"Cron has never offered any explanation for his actions," said Insp Davey.

"While no one was hurt, vulnerable members of the community lost a vital transport resource while the community group which owned the minibuses along with other motorists suffered a significant financial hit and the inconvenience of replacing their vehicles."