The Smithy Family: Police urge public not to investigate TikTok house arson

Police are urging the public not to conduct their own investigations into who is behind an arson attack at the home of a family of TikTok influencers.

Video footage shows The Smithy Family's home catching fire after their car was set alight by two people in Welling, south-east London, last Wednesday.

Nick Smith said his wife and children aged six, eight and six weeks, could have been killed.

"We ask that information is provided to us directly," the Met Police said.

London Fire Brigade received 16 calls to the arson attack

London Fire Brigade sent 25 firefighters to the home of The Smithy Family, whose account has more than 2.5m followers on video sharing site TikTok.

Mr Smith urged people in the area with doorbell footage to share it with police and revealed he has some "chilling footage" of "two lads, one wearing shorts" coming back 50 minutes later to view the fire.

Det Sgt Danny Banks, from the Met's serious and complex investigations unit, said his team had been "working around the clock" to find out what happened.

Mr Smith says he spent four months "and all of our hard-worked money" renovating their home

He added: "My heartfelt sympathies go out to them during what has been an unimaginably difficult time. I thank them for their continued support as enquiries are ongoing.

"This incident has been well publicised and whilst we appreciate that the public wish to support the family, we ask that all information is provided to us directly.

"I also urge the public to refrain from undertaking their own investigations in relation to this case."