A car was set on fire on Spaaklaan in Vlijmen on Sunday morning, as can be seen on camera images. Vehicles parked next to the Renault Mégane also caught fire. Three cars were totaled and a fourth was damaged. The owner of the car that was set on fire is sick from it. “I haven’t slept anymore. The perpetrators don’t know what they are doing to someone.”
The car fires are the talk of the town in the neighborhood. There is a coming and going of local residents who come to view the damage on Sunday morning and afternoon. People are very shocked. Two years ago a car was set on fire in the same place and that’s not all.
“I don’t feel safe here.”
“I have been living here for about six years, but I don’t feel safe in the neighborhood. A few months ago, acid was thrown on our car. The paint was completely faded. It has to be someone who has the hots for us. We filed a report, but we still haven’t heard anything about it. We work hard and just want some peace and quiet,” says a local resident.
CCTV footage shows someone walking to the Renault Mégane around a quarter to five on Sunday morning. There is rumbling on the side or underside of the Renault. Every now and then there seems to be a fire, because it lights up between the cars. The suspect walks away for a while but quickly returns. Twenty minutes later the first car is on fire. Ten minutes later there is a huge sea of flames.
“He shouted that it was our car.”
The vehicle that was set on fire belongs to a 44-year-old woman. “I heard all kinds of sirens around a quarter past five and thought it was behind this. But then my friend saw the flames through the window and started shouting that it was our car.”
She does not know why the perpetrator targeted her car. “You wonder: who does something like that? And do I have enemies, but I don’t have them at all.” Her car is completely burned out and will be towed away during the morning.
“Grandpa Rinus is the bunny again.”
The fact that the fire was so destructive is probably due to the strong winds last night. As a result, Grandpa Rinus’ car also went up in flames. He paces around and mumbles emotionally: ‘Grandpa Rinus is the hare again.'”
His son Michael is with him this morning. “My father is really emotional, he had just bought the car and now there is nothing left.” According to Michael, it is really bad luck that the car next to his father’s is set on fire. “He has third party insurance, so I’m afraid we can solve this ourselves.”
“It could be a coincidence, but I don’t really believe that.”
“Maybe it’s vandalism or there are people with enemies,” Michael thinks out loud. “But two years ago it was hit in exactly the same place. It could be a coincidence, but I don’t really believe in coincidence.” He thinks the perpetrator or perpetrators are real cowards. “If you have the balls to report yourself to the police, do so. Because if I find them, I will not be able to defend myself,” he says angrily.
