Street of fear

By Shaun Inguanzo
AN ARSON attack on a Springvale neighbourhood has left its residents living in fear and urging police to undertake tougher patrols to quash the firebugs responsible.
The latest attack on Lee Avenue residents has left an elderly man – who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution – without transport after his car was set alight last Saturday evening.
The 75-year-old who has lived in his Lee Avenue home all of his life said a once friendly neighbourhood had now turned to a place of fear.
“We have had no problems up until now with our cars being attacked,” he said.
“I’m not sure what the (arsonist’s) idea was, and what they gained out of setting it alight.”
The elderly man, who relies on his daughter to care for him, said the attack had left them with no means of transport to go shopping or to head to a doctors surgery.
His daughter, who also wished to remain anonymous, said they were ‘living in fear’ that further attacks could occur, and even spread to their home.
“I know my dad is very nervous, there’s no safety here any more and he is very insecure,” she said.
Springvale police have taken the Kia Mentor to investigate how the car was set alight.
A neighbour, Charlie Carlin, said he was ‘very nervous’ following the latest attack, having been the victim of one in late October.
“We had trees burned in our driveway overnight at one in the morning on 25 October,” he said.
Mr Carlin’s car was parked outside his house when two 12-metre-high pine trees were set alight.
He said his vehicle was in danger of catching on fire.
“It would have blown up if I hadn’t quickly driven away in it,” he said.
“I was very nervous after that and never slept for the next three nights.
“I was looking outside to see if there was anyone in the street and what they were doing.”
The 55-year-old said he had lived in Lee Avenue for 16 years and that only over the last 12 months had the neighbourhood been plagued by a firebug.
Star revealed early this year that adjoining street, Phillip Avenue, had suffered similar problems when a firebug went on a spate of tree burnings.
Mr Carlin said it was time for local police to increase their patrols so residents could feel safe once more.