Car crime in Cathays continues as student’s car goes up in flames

A student’s car caught fire on Pentrych Street in the early hours of Sunday morning, at around 3:30am.

The incident was posted on Overheard, where some students suggested that it may have been a case of Arson after the violence that took place in the city centre that evening. However, others have suggested that water may have damaged the car’s electrics.

This is one of the more serious cases of vehicle damage that have occurred in Cathays recently.

Fourth year Cardiff student, Jamie, has also had trouble with his car in Cathays – having had his aerial stolen and windscreen-wipers broken.

When asked about this incident, he told The Cardiff Tab: “I think there’s a mix of people who don’t seem to care about others’ property and find it funny to vandalise and destroy it.”

Another student, Caitlin, has seen people vandalising cars before.

She told The Cardiff Tab: “I was walking home from work one Wednesday night at around 2am and a group of boys who had come from YOLO were walking up Llanbleddian Gardens kicking every car window they could find because they were so mad they were kicked out I guess.”

She continued: “They kicked off my housemate’s wing mirrors but were such a threatening group that I didn’t stop them but she hasn’t had her car in Cardiff since – so God knows what would’ve happened if it was actually a fire because that was only for a wing mirror. Never even crossed my mind that people would set cars alight!”

When asked to comment, South Wales Police told The Cardiff Tab: “South Wales Police attended Pentrych Street in Cathays, Cardiff on 22nd November 2020 at 3.30am where a car was on fire. Officers are investigating the circumstances of this isolated incident and whether or not it was intentional.”

They continued that anyone with information should “contact the police on 101 quoting reference 2000425039.”

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