BULGARIA: Almost 60 cars torched in various Bulgarian towns in less than a month

Record ID: 353597

  • Title: BULGARIA: Almost 60 cars torched in various Bulgarian towns in less than a month
  • Date: 23rd December 2011
  • Summary: SOFIA, BULGARIA (DECEMBER 21, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) EMIL NIKOLOV, SOFIA RESIDENT, SAYING: "It is not normal for Bulgarians to set cars on fire and to stir bad feelings. People are worried that their car might burn as well. They become nervous, they lose their peace of mind." (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) HRISTO LULCHEV, SOFIA RESIDENT, SAYING: "I think this
  • Embargoed: 7th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Bulgaria, Bulgaria
  • Country: Bulgaria
  • Reuters ID: LVAE1UDET7KF2STSM7QI1VZ2QA3R
  • Story Text: Almost 60 cars have been set on fire in less than a month in various towns across Bulgaria.
    In the capital Sofia arson attacks on cars happen almost every night in different parts of the city.
    "It is not normal for Bulgarians to set cars on fire and to stir bad feelings. People are worried that their car might burn as well. They become nervous, they lose their peace of mind," Sofia resident Emil Nikolov told Reuters It remains unknown who is behind the attacks. The arrests recently made by the police so far failed to stop them.
    "I think this is organized to spread fear and panic in our society, especially now with the holidays approaching" says another Sofia resident, Hristo Lulchev.
    The series of car torchings started in Sofia's Mladost residential area.
    Three people have been detained so far. One of the detained - a 29-year-old Sofia resident - has confessed to burning 12 cars, but due to lack of evidence had been charged with only 5 arson attacks. It became known during the investigation that he knew the majority of his victims and committed the arson attacks out of anger of being unemployed for over two years.
    Organized crime analyst Tihomir Bezlov fears that the organized crime groups could take an advantage of the situation, which was created by angry youth.
    "What is happening is a two-side phenomena - a social one and a criminal one. These arson attacks were started by mostly young people in a difficult social situation, usually with a criminal past. They started to set cars on fire, usually in the area where they live. What is unique, is that it is contagious. The more incidents, the more copycats there are everywhere in the country, even in small towns and even villages," Bezlov told Reuters.
    The arson attacks have affected about 60 cities and towns in various parts of the country.
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