Arson Fiend Locked Up for Reckless Fire Spree in East London
Amer Fareed, 39, was slammed with a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court on July 1. The Newham man went up in flames for setting a string of dangerous fires across Forest Gate.
Bins, Skips, Cars and Shops Torched
Fareed pleaded guilty to a staggering eight counts of reckless arson endangering life, 17 counts of arson, plus possession of cannabis. Investigators are still looking into three more arson charges.
His fiery rampage saw bins and skips ignited right outside homes. He didn’t stop there – cars and shop fronts below flats were also targeted, putting lives at serious risk.
Crucial Fire Brigade Tip-Off Leads to Arrest
Detective Inspector Phil Moor said: “I’m pleased that Fareed is behind bars. It was only a matter of time before his reckless fires caused serious harm, or worse.”
The London Fire Brigade raised the alarm in April 2021 after spotting a spike in bin fires in Newham’s E7 area. Their heads-up sparked a full-blown police probe.
Months of CCTV and Phone Data Nail the Arsonist
A specialist CID taskforce spent hundreds of hours trawling CCTV and phone records. Detective Constable Ravi Raja Rayan was praised for cracking the case wide open by linking Fareed to the crime scenes.
Detective Moor added: “The evidence was overwhelming. Fareed had no choice but to plead guilty.”
Fareed was arrested on April 18, 2021, and initially charged with five offences. Months later, after gathering more evidence, police slapped on 25 additional charges.
Thanks to relentless police work and fire brigade vigilance, a dangerous firestarter is now off the streets – and justice has been served.
