Overview

• Two suspects poured petrol on a family’s white Mercedes and the front door of their Doulton Court home before igniting them at about 12:30am on July 26.
• A couple and their two young children escaped uninjured as firefighters extinguished the blaze that caused significant damage to two cars and the house’s entrance.
• Durham Constabulary launched a formal investigation, treating the pre-dawn assault as a case of mistaken identity and analysing CCTV footage for leads.
• Officers have carried out door-to-door enquiries in the cul-de-sac and appealed to residents for any information on suspicious activity.
• No arrests have been made so far and police have urged anyone with details to call 101 with incident number 27 of July 26 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.