POLICE are appealing for witnesses who may have seen three men setting fire to newspapers outside a town centre shop on Wednesday night.
The men were seen between 10pm and 11pm setting light to a pile of newspapers outside Pillars Newsagents, Market Street, and then fanning the flames towards the shop?s wooden front ? encouraging the fire to spread.
PC Steve Saunders of Tavistock Police said the attack could have been extremely dangerous, given the dry weather conditions and the fact the shop and those adjoining were timber-fronted.
?There was a lot of paper there, about a four-foot wall of it, and it could have been a real problem,? he said.
?The potential for damage was high. They quite clearly knew what they were doing and went to some efforts to get the papers alight. It could have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.?
PC Saunders said the men were reported as being ?in drink? but said there was no excuse that the incident was a prank.
?At that age they should have known better,? he said.
The first male is described as white, in his early twenties, stockily built, about 5ft 9in tall, clean shaven, wearing a grey, long-sleeved top with hoops or stripes and dark trousers or jeans. He had short, slightly spiky blonde or highlighted hair.
The second male was white, in his late teens, of medium build with dark hair which came to a point in front.
He was clean shaven and wearing a navy long-sleeved top with a white band or hoop and white or light trousers.
The third male was in his late teens and was also wearing a long-sleeved top with green, orange and white hoop.
The police are urging anyone who saw this group of men to come forward. Anyone with information can contact Tavistock police or call the anonymous Crimestoppers phone line on 0800 555111, quoting crime reference JT/03/1035.