Den Helder is plagued by a series of car fires. Despite recent arrests, the threat of arson continues, with resident Marco Heins one of the latest victims. Fortunately, the damage was limited thanks to a saving angel.
Around half past six in the morning, Marco Heins from Held was woken up by the police. “Would I like to come outside for a moment,” he says. “Because my car was on fire.” Heins is terrified when he hears it.
An observant passerby spotted the flames under the car and immediately called the fire brigade. “Fortunately,” said Heins. It appears that the damage has been limited.
Heins’ car was taken by the police for forensic examination. What is left behind is a melted pile of firelighters in the parking lot. Everything indicates that the fire was started, but why? Heins doesn’t know. “I am the sweetest boy in Den Helder,” he says himself. “But now I’m pretty pissed off.”
Pyromaniac
Heins is not the only one whose car (almost) went up in flames in Den Helder. A total of 41 fires were set in a vehicle in 2023, according to police figures. For comparison: in 2022 that was 28 times.
“There is a pyromaniac active in Den Helder,” Heins suspects. He was told this by the fire brigade after they extinguished his car. The police explain that people quickly talk about a pyromaniac. “But that is rarely or never the case, research shows.” According to the spokesperson, it usually concerns a relationship conflict or a business dispute.
There appears to be no end to the series of arsons in the fishing town in 2024. January 6 it happened again: an attempted car fire results in a major nighttime search from the police to a suspect. In vain.
It’ll be another month later two suspects arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a car on Sparrenstraat last December. Although they have since been released, police continue to consider them as suspects. Since then, no one has been arrested for arson in Den Helder.
Heins offered flowers to the observant passer-by, but this was politely rejected.
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