A teenager from Sandown who was arrested on suspicion of arson on Friday evening has been released without any further action in what seems like a case of mistaken identity.
As first reported by Island Echo, at around 19:45 on Friday evening firefighters from East Cowes were mobilised to York Avenue in the town after reports were made that a fire had been started underneath a van.
This time around – and unlike the previous fires in January and December – the blaze was self-extinguished before it could take hold of the vehicle – a Ford Transit.
Police arrived at the scene soon after and arrested an 18-year-old on suspicion of arson and possession of cocaine, but today (Monday) Island Echo can confirm that the teen has been released with no further action being taken.
Regarding the cocaine possession, he has been dealt with by means of community resolution with a requirement to attend a drugs awareness course.
The news means that the arsonist responsible for the spate of incidents in the town, including the fires on Victoria Grove and Kent Avenue at end of January and those on York Avenue just before Christmas is still at large.
A spokesperson from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has said:
“We want the community to be reassured that enquiries are very much ongoing into these arson incidents. They are being investigated as a local priority with officers proactively patrolling the area. We urge anyone with information that could assist our enquiries to contact police on 101, quoting 44230028489.”
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Police have told East Cowes Town Council that they believe that the arson attacks are all parking related.
So this poor lad was just in wrong place and because of drugs Police assumed without any evidence and arrested him for offence of Arson,this lad and family must of been through hell with fear and worry. Please police have some evidence before just arresting anyone,this will make inocent people anxious.
Cocaine! Deserves fear and worry.
Cocaine possession, dregs of society. Throwing his life away. Lets not minimise this behaviour.
I agree, have never met a coke user who isn’t an idiot.
Most of them who work on the stocks and share trait cocaine because they can afford it, and are rich beyond belief, they haven’t done bad have they?? Because someone decides to take drugs doesn’t mean they are a bad person. Let’s remember 2 biggest killers in the world are alcohol and cigarettes but the government sell them happily to people because they earn good money iout of it.
Unfortunately alcohol and cigarettes are legal, cocaine is an illegal Class A drug. How does an eighteen year old pay for an expensive drug, oh yes robbing and thieving from decent people.
Gosh I hope that yellow car or the van along Great Preston road, that is usually mentioned on here owned by that hard working family (likely making them a target for being different) is not targeted by such dangerous mental people, for the owners of such are often wrongly ‘accused’ of parking wrongly.
Frightening how nasty people get over just having to walk a few more steps.
This is not the kids. If they were doing it it would be just one or two they then would go do something else. This is someone with a grudge. Just like the tire slasher of Carsibrooke many years ago. A 70 year old nutter IIRC.
Outrageous speculation! It’s ageist to blame older people when it’s a fact young people are destroying my island!
Calm down you old codger, you’ll give yourself a hernia !
If he wasn’t carrying a can of petrol, there’s a fair chance it wasn’t him…
Well, at least the lad wasnt named before he turned out not to be guilty..
Yep, not like the pore chap in Wooten.
Well I for one am not reassured, be nice if we actually saw a police officer patrolling the roads off York Avenue and York Avenue itself.
Would you see them in plain clothes though?
It can’t be mistaken identity. He was already found wanting by the good commentators or IE. Surely you can’t rescind his guilt?
I heard he was in possession of a lighter, guilty!
I think although slightly possible a man from Sandown was a pretty far fetched target but boxes are there to be ticked and the cops ticked a box arresting this lad Big Tick in box
possibly look a little closer to home
with council tax going sky high maybe there’s a few quid for detective courses going