Residents on an estate in Lower Belvedere have been dealing with a spate of car arsons that have left them scared for their safety and out of pocket.

The incidents began around two years ago on Monarch Road and Picardy Street, but in recent months have seemed to become more frequent.

Police have said that arson is “an extremely serious offence” and that “anti-social behaviour blights communities, often resulting in residents being too fearful to venture out – making them prisoners in their own homes”.

A woman living on the estate, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the News Shopper: "There have been about 18 or 20 cars affected on the estate.

“I rely on my car because my little boy is autistic and can't handle public transport.

“So when my car went up in November last year, I had to borrow money for a new one, and now I’m constantly worried it’s going to happen again.

“It’s clear our estate is being targeted by an arsonist.”

Other people in the area have taken to social media groups to share pictures of their burnt-out vehicles as well as keeping track of the number of arsons in the nearby streets.

The woman continued: “My car was done like all the others.

"It looks like the person is putting something between the window and the bonnet, and then they just go up in flames.”

Police have said that there is “limited CCTV in the area” but are looking into other options such as doorbell footage, mobile remote police cameras and both high visibility and plain-clothed patrols in the area.

Officers have communicated these actions in a letter to residents and are encouraging anyone with ongoing concerns to get in touch.

They will also be meeting with London Fire Brigade to receive their input and support.

The woman explained that the housing association for the block of flats where she lives has refused to put CCTV despite the sheer number of incidents.

She added: “Orbit keeps giving different reasons for not putting it in. They say they don't have anyone to monitor it, but they don’t need to.

“They just need to check it when incidents happen. They’ve also told people on the estate that if we want CCTV, we’ll have to pay for it ourselves.”

A spokesperson for Orbit Housing said: "We’re very sorry to hear about these incidents and understand the impact that they have on the wellbeing of residents.

"We take any reports of antisocial behaviour seriously and are committed to working in close partnership with the Police, other authorities and the local community to ensure appropriate action can be taken.

“Although we do have CCTV covering our blocks at Picardy Street North and South, this does not cover non-Orbit owned land where we understand some of these incidents have occurred.

"We are however reviewing our CCTV to ensure it covers the most vulnerable areas and are happy to consult with our customers about any improvements that could be made.  

“In the meantime, we encourage all of our customers to continue to report any incidents to the Police as well as ourselves as we work together to continue to deter and prevent these incidents from occurring.”

Another woman living on the estate who also had her car targeted on September 19 of this year said: “It was probably about a year and a half ago now when it began.

“You had a burned-out car on the estate, and then it started increasing. For some reason a couple of weeks ago, it went a bit mad.

“My neighbour’s car got burned out on Wednesday night, and on Thursday night, mine got burned out. Then on Friday, someone else’s car got burned out.”

She added that she was having difficulties claiming on her insurance because her burnt-out vehicle disappeared overnight and despite contacting the council, police and insurance company, they all say that they did not send someone to take the car.

The woman thinks it may have been removed from the street for scrap.

She said: “By the time I paid the excess and everything, I only got £30 back. It wasn’t worth claiming. I had to report the car stolen.”

She also explained that she would like to see CCTV installed on the estate and explained that there were further issues such as people’s doors being set alight and egged.

The Metropolitan Police has released a statement addressing concerns.

Chief Inspector James Hendrick, who oversees policing in the Belvedere area, said: “We share the concerns of local residents about these incidents and are taking a number of proactive steps to address them.

“Arson is an extremely serious offence, not only causing damage to property, but putting individuals at serious risk of harm.

“Similarly anti-social behaviour blights communities, often resulting in residents being too fearful to venture out – making them prisoners in their own homes.

“Our job as the local neighbourhood policing team is to support our community and ensure they feel safe and protected from crime.

“My officers have visited a number of residents in the area to speak to them about these incidents, and will continue to do so over the coming days and weeks.

“Despite limited CCTV in the immediate area, we will continue to trawl other potential options - such as doorbell footage - in an attempt to identify suspects.

“We have raised the issue with the local authority and will also be meeting with the local fire brigade – in both cases with a view to seeking their input and support.

“We hope to utilise prevention tactics such as the use of mobile remote police cameras and both high visibility and plain-clothed patrols in the area.

“I have communicated all of the above in a letter to some residents, but if there are any remaining who still feel unhappy with the proposed police action I would urge them to get in touch.

“We are here to listen to any concerns.”