A fire which destroyed 14 cars in a garage yard might have been caused by a spark from a drill used by thieves to steal petrol from one of the vehicles.
The vehicles, at Belgrave Autos, near Troon Way, Rushey Mead, Leicester, were engulfed in flames last month.
Police said yesterday they believed the fire was caused by thieves drilling into the tank of one of the cars.
They said there had been a spate of 12 such thefts in the area in six weeks and the blaze illustrated the danger of the crime.
Fire crews battled to tackle the fire, which broke out shortly before 8pm on Sunday, November 16, and prevented it spreading to neighbouring businesses.
Police have urged people in the area to be on the look-out for fuel thieves and to report suspicious behaviour.
Pc James Thomas said: "We would like everyone to be aware just how dangerous crimes such as the theft of fuel from vehicles can be.
"There are enormous risks involved and the incident at Belgrave Autos is just one of a spate of similar crimes that could have potentially been life-threatening.
"We would urge anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity with regards to the theft of fuel, to please report it immediately."
Dave Watson, a fire investigator for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, echoed the police message.
Mr Watson said: "It is extremely dangerous to syphon fuel from any vehicle.
"Free-flowing or spraying fuel and its vapour can be ignited very easily.
"It only takes a small spark, a naked flame or the spark from a drill to cause a rapid and uncontrolled fire.
"In cases like this people are likely to be close to the fuel and may even have it on their clothes, so they are at huge risk too – as well as any innocent bystanders. The fire would be rapid and uncontrolled. In this case there were properties nearby and the potential for the fire to spread to them was huge.
"We did a good job there in preventing it spreading to those neighbouring properties, including a plastics factory."
Pc Dean Flower said: "We are appealing for witnesses to the incident at Belgrave Autos and would like to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area between 4pm and 7.50pm that day."
Contact Pc Flower on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
leicestermercury.co.uk/crime
