Durham Police are encouraging residents to assist them in an appeal for information linked to a surge in arson attacks across the east coast of County Durham. Since May of this year, Peterlee, Seaham and their surrounding areas have seen over 100 instances of suspected arson. The majority of these attacks have been made against unattended vehicles, but have also involved bins, businesses and houses. In a bid to stamp out the crime, police are appealing to communities to report any information that might assist them in bringing the offenders to justice. Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Lawrence said: “An investigation into each and every incident has been launched. “Not a single attack is dismissed, and no report is ignored, which is why we’re encouraging anybody with even the smallest piece of information to get in touch. “It may be that your CCTV picked up footage vital to an investigation, or that you’ve noticed people or vehicles acting suspiciously around the time of an attack. “Since May we have made multiple arrests relating to arson, but what we need now are the finer details from the community that will allow us to piece together the circumstances of each attack and bring charges against suspects. “We appreciate that reporting what you know to the police is not always easy, but an anonymous call to either ourselves or Crimestoppers could be the key to identifying those responsible for previous incidents, or to preventing another potentially devastating attack. “I can assure you that we are listening.” Investigations into these incidents are ongoing, and extensive patrols are being carried out based on data collated from each crime. But as well as appealing to the general community, police are also keen to highlight the consequences of committing arson to offenders themselves, which can be far more extensive than superficial damage. “Make no mistake that once you start that fire, you have no control over where it goes next, and there is nothing you can do when it spreads to the next car along, or worse, to a house full of people. “Even where no innocent parties are harmed, arson can carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. “We don’t underestimate the seriousness of the offence, and neither should you, because we will not hesitate to bring the full force of the law against any individual found to be endangering the lives of others.” If you have any information relating to arson, Durham Police want to hear from you, and you are encouraged to call 101 to make your report to a call handler, or if you prefer, to a CID officer. Alternatively, you can make anonymous reports to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Firestoppers on 0800 169 5558.