Northumbria Police appeals to public for information following theft and fire at Sunderland allotment

The incident occurred shortly before 8am on Friday, November 4, 2022, at an allotment in Pottery Lane, in the South Hylton area of the city.

Police received a report of the incident and emergency services attended the scene, where it was understood that an offender had taken a generator and a saw worth approximately £300, before setting fire to the allotment and fleeing the scene.

Following the blaze, Northumbria Police launched an investigation with officers treating the incident, which led to the death of 25 Bantam hens, as suspected arson.

Extensive enquiries have been ongoing since November to locate the person responsible and now police are appealing to the public for information to help with their investigation and urging anyone who may know or anything to come forward.

As part of the investigation, Northumbria Police has released an image of the missing generator, in a bid to help locate it in the local community and find the person who was responsible for starting the fire.

The generator is described as a black and yellow Böhmer-AG K series generator worth around £250.

If you have seen a generator matching the one pictured, or have any other information which could assist the investigation, please contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the force’s website or by calling 101 quoting crime number: 134465D/22.