Police investigate serious blaze that destroyed delivery motorbikes at Tops Pizza takeaway - ‘Angry ex-employee’ fire probe in Maida Hill

Published: 23 April 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM and MATHIEU MILBOURNE

STAFF at a takeaway restaurant in Maida Hill have spoken of their horror at being the target of a suspected arson attack during which their delivery bikes were doused in petrol and set alight.

Detectives are exploring the theory that the attack in the early hours of Monday in Western Mews, which left one woman homeless and around 20 motorbikes burnt to cinders, was carried out by a disgruntled former employee at Tops Pizza.

They are speaking to late-night petrol station staff in the area to see if anyone came in to buy a can of petrol in the hours leading up to the attack. 

Peyman Eftekhari, manager of Tops in Great Western Road, said he could think of “no reason” why someone would be out to get them, adding that in 25 years of business they had never been the victim of an attack. 

Police told the West End Extra they had been handed footage which shows a man, whose face is concealed under a motorbike helmet, walking away from the scene past nearby Kingslake Motorcycles, as the flames rise up behind him. Around half of the motorbikes damaged in the attack belonged to the mechanics. 

The pizza delivery bikes, four of which were brand new, were being stored there because they had been given safety checks by staff at Kingslake.

No arrests have been made and residents in the quiet mews said they are living in fear. Some have chosen temporarily to leave altogether. 

Mr Eftekhari said: “I hope they catch whoever did this. 

“To be honest I can’t think of anyone who would want to do this. 

“We have a lot of people come and go. Some of those bikes belonged to the mechanics and at the moment nobody knows which bike was set on fire first. 

“But if we were the target, surely they would come and attack the shop? 

“Some of the bikes were new, and cost a lot of money, but the main thing is the lady in the house got out alive.”

Detective Sergeant Adrian Rosser, from Paddington Green CID, said: “We are looking at all the CCTV and talking to petrol stations in the area, because it’s likely whoever did this went to a petrol station first. This was a very unusual incident and the explosions from burst tyres would have woken a lot of people up.

“We are open minded about the intended target because at this point we don’t know which bike was set on fire first. It is possible it could be related to somebody connected with the pizza shop, but we are not ruling anything out at this stage.”

Police, fire and ambulance services were called to the scene at 1.25am, evacuating around 60 people from the surrounding properties.

Police are appealing for witnesses and anybody with any information should ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.