The City Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is urging businesses in Leeds city centre to guard against arsons in their bin storage areas after several incidents in the last few days.
The most serious incident was behind premises on King Street shortly before 5am on Monday, December 6, where rubbish was piled up in an alleyway before being set alight.
The incident is being treated as suspicious and detectives from City and Holbeck CID are following enquiries including examining local CCTV footage. Police report a number of other incidents where rubbish or bins have been set alight behind premises and in alleyways in the city since then.
?Rubbish from bins on Albion Place was set alight, and another incident was reported by premises on Lands Lane. There is no information to suggest any of the incidents are linked, and NPT officers are paying extra attention to the areas affected. Businesses are encouraged to secure their bins and bin storage areas to prevent further incidents occurring.
Sergeant Martyn Mynard, of the City NPT, said: “It is unclear whether the fires are malicious or accidental, but there is still a serious safety risk posed by them and it’s important that we work together to prevent further incidents. We’ll be putting additional patrols in the areas each evening and for the time being I would encourage businesses to think about how they store rubbish and waste outside their premises.
“Securing bins and bin storage areas will put a stop to people accessing them in the first place.” Sergeant Mynard added: “I would also encourage anyone who witnesses suspicious activity near bins or bin storage areas to report it to police. If you spot a fire, contact the Fire Service.”
