Vehicle Arsons Continue in Richmond, El Sobrante

The most recent fires occurred late Saturday night. Three cars were deliberately torched that night, all of them less than a mile away from one another, and at about the same time.

Contra Costa Fire crews say they were extinguishing a car fire on Oak Knoll Road in El Sobrante just before 11 p.m. At the same time, nearby Richmond firefighters were extinguishing two car fires.

Earlier in the week, Contra Costa County fire investigators say someone set fires that charred 12 cars.

Spokesman Vic Massenkoff says fires were all set in a three mile radius of Richmond and El Sobrante late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

"All the targets seem to be random," said Massenkoff. "There seems to be no relationship between the targeted victims and their vehicles."

He says they seem to be random attacks; the arsonist appears to be targeting vehicles in residential areas that are either unlocked or have a window ajar.

Massenkoff says residents' first line of defense is to make sure their cars are locked overnight.

So far, one witness has reported seeing a tall, slim man, dressed entirely in black and hooded, running away from the scene of one of the fires.

Massenkoff urges anyone who sees or knows anything to call the Contra Costa County arson tip line at: 866-50-ARSON.