Witness Appeal After Houseboat Arson

Published on: 4 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 8 Nov, 2018

The police are hunting suspects after a houseboat on the Godalming Navigation was deliberately set on fire at about 6pm on Friday, November 2.

Surrey Fire & Rescue Service and police officers were called to to the blaze at Godalming Wharf near Sainsbury’s, that left the boat badly damaged but, thankfully, nobody was on board.

Fire investigation officers and police officers say a flammable liquid was used to ignite the boat. The officers are appealing for information from anyone in the area of the wharf between 5.30pm and 6pm. They are also asking shoppers in nearby Sainsbury’s to check their dashcam footage, and to consider if they saw anything suspicious..

Investigating officer Detective Constable Richard Pegden said: “Setting fire to a boat is a very dangerous, very stupid, and it is only down to luck that the boat was unoccupied and that it didn’t spread to other boats close by.

“I am determined to find out is responsible. There would have been a lot of people in the area, so I am sure someone would have seen something that can help us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey Police on 101, or send an email to surrey.police.uk/ReportIt, quoting reference 45180117331.