'Shock' and fear of reprisal in wake of Longford car arson attacks

Gardaí have appealed to anyone with dash-cam or CCTV footage of a series of late night arson attacks on five different vehicles parked outside five homes in Longford town - the latest incident in an 'ongoing feud' - to contact them.

The vehicles were set alight outside the residences of members of the same extended family at approximately 5am on Saturday, December 27 in Ardnacassa Avenue, Palace Crescent, Ardeevan, Lisbrack Road, and Canal Court.

Units of Longford Fire Service and Gardaí responded to the scenes with firefighters quickly putting out the fires.

There were no injuries to any of the residents living in the houses or any neighbours or members of the public.

A Garda forensic examination was carried out on the burnt out vehicles.

Gardaí have also been carrying out door-to-door inquiries in recent days and they have asked members of the public who may have CCTV or dash-cam footage to provide it to them.

Officers are following up on a number of lines of enquiry in relation to the incident, however, at the time of going to print on Tuesday morning there had been no arrests.

A Garda spokesman said, "Gardaí and Fire Services responded after five vehicles were set alight outside five separate residential properties in the town [on Saturday morning].

"No injuries have been reported.

"The vehicles have been removed from the scene for forensic and technical examination. Investigations are ongoing."

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Longford Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Seamus Butler said there was shock following the five arson attack incidents and those responsible needed to be brought to justice.

"There are organised crime groups in Longford that are quite powerful and they have two or three layers below them and I would say this was a lower level.

"Of course people were [shocked] by it, arson is a serious crime and there were outside houses and it could have led to [worse] and if the fire took off from the car to the house people could have been killed.

"It should be treated extremely seriously, which I'm sure it will be by the Gardaí.

"And the people brought to justice must be taken out of society because Longford refuses to be defined by these people who think they are above the law and not subject to it like every other Irish citizen.

"We need to hopefully see rapid arrests and people being brought to justice otherwise they will think they can get away with anything."

Cllr Butler said it was natural there would be some unease in the Ardnacassa Avenue, Palace Crescent, Ardeevan, Lisbrack Road and Canal Court areas after the incidents and in general in Longford town.

The local representative said "sometimes there things have a snowball effect and there is retaliation from the injured parties, which is always a danger", and that is all the more reason that the offenders feel the full force of the law as soon as possible.

"We need to see more visible Gardaí, both in our estates and on the streets of Longford town," he added.