Hunt for teens after van 'deliberately' set on fire outside shop in North Lanarkshire

A hunt has been launched for three teenagers after a van was “deliberately” set on fire outside a shop in North Lanarkshire.

Emergency services were called after a white Mercedes Sprinter van was set alight while parked outside a shop on Dunure Street in Coatbridge at around 7.45pm on Thursday.

Officers said the fire was extinguished prior to emergency services’ arrival.

Police are treating the blaze as “wilful” and are looking to trace three male youths seen running from the area at the time of the incident.

The boys are described as white, aged between 16 and 17 years old and were all wearing scarves to cover their faces.

One was around 5ft 6in tall and was wearing a grey tracksuit.

The second was wearing all black, and the third youth was wearing a grey Montirex jacket and black Nike trainers.

The force is urging anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward.

Detective Constable Niccolo Gamberi said: “Our enquiries are ongoing into this incident, and I am asking anyone who might have been in the area and saw something to get in touch.

“Similarly, anyone in the area with private CCTV or dash-cam footage that might have captured anything that could be useful in our investigation is urged to contact us.

“Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 3295 of July 31. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”