POLICE are hunting an arsonist who torched more than a dozen brand new cars worth a quarter of a million pounds.

The vehicles were destroyed by a fire that ripped through them as they were awaiting delivery to new owners at a car dealership in Southampton.

The same person is thought to be responsible for destroying 14 vehicles in two separate attacks in as many days.

Picador, the Vauxhall dealership that owned the cars, has estimated the total cost of the damage, repairs and insurance claims to be in the region of £250,000.

Overnight on Monday nine cars were burnt out after a fire was deliberately started in one of the vehicles.

The night before emergency services were called to deal with a similar incident in which five cars were destroyed in a deliberate blaze.

Yesterday the area in Portsmouth Road, Sholing, was sealed off while scenes-of-crime officers scoured the site for clues.

Picador chief executive Graham Jacobs said over the past few months the family-run business had suffered a number of incidents, but that Monday night’s arson attack was by far the worst.

Mr Jacobs said on Tuesday: “People may think that this is a victimless crime but there is no such thing. I have to make calls to people to tell them they will not be getting their new cars, not to mention the calls to insurance companies that ultimately lead to higher premiums for everyone.

“There must have been dozens of police and firefighters here yesterday dealing with the actions of someone who could very well have put people’s lives at risk.”

Fire crews from Hightown station were deployed to the incident at just before 7pm on Monday. A spokesman said the fire had been deliberately started in one vehicle before spreading to several others.

A Hampshire police spokesman said detectives were investigating the arson and were following up a number of lines of inquiry.

A spokesman said they were aware of previous incidents and urged anyone with information or who witnessed anything suspicious in the area around the dealership on Monday evening to come forward.

Anyone with information can call Eastleigh CID on 101.