Residents of Pittelo and Noorderpark in Assen and the police are extra alert after a series of fires that have ravaged the neighborhoods. More than ten cars and scooters have gone up in flames in three weeks. Cameras at homes and large light poles around parking spaces should ensure more safety on the streets.
The police assume that the ten car and scooter fires were all lit, although it is not yet clear whether the same person is responsible. Officers now drive around more often in neighborhoods where there have been many fires. Residents are asked to pay close attention to suspicious situations, especially in the evening and at night, and to report them immediately.
In the Talmastraat in Noorderpark there was a lot of fear after four cars burned down in a short time. Two of the four that were destroyed belong to the same couple. The woman doesn’t want to say much about it, but does say that she and her husband now only have a bicycle with which they can go to work. “That’s annoying, especially now that it’s so cold outside.”
After a meeting of residents with the municipality and the police, large lamps were placed at the sites of the fires. The lighting must ensure that the street does not become the target of an arsonist again. As soon as it gets dark, the lights come on and put half the street in the spotlight. They run on a generator that makes quite a bit of noise.
Opinions in the neighborhood are divided about it. Some people are annoyed by the noise and cannot sleep well, others are happy and hope that it will deter potential arsonists. “It gives a protective feeling, you see everything more clearly and you can keep an eye on everything better,” says a lady walking her dog.
Local residents are generally calm after the fires, but many people have taken measures in their own way. Some no longer park their car in front of the door, others have recently rented a garage where they can park their vehicle. Still others park the car closer to the house. And there are more cameras on the facades.
A neighbor wants to tell us more. He was startled by a loud bang last week in the evening and then heard sirens in the street. “Then I looked out the window and saw cars on fire. The children also became a bit restless and you became afraid that it could spread to your car,” he says.
The man now no longer puts one of his cars in the parking lot as a precaution. He has also installed security cameras at his house to continuously monitor what is happening. “We did that after the second fire. We read it regularly, especially at night. If you see something, you can respond immediately.”