Couple’s joy dashed after car torched overnight

Couple’s joy dashed after car torched overnight

7 September 2022

AN Ardglass couple celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary had the big milestone ruined when their car was burnt out in Downpatrick.

Barry Montgomery and his wife, Sally, had left their car at Downpatrick bus station last Wednesday to travel to Belfast for an overnight stay.

But when the couple, who are both aged 70, returned the next day, they found their car had been targeted by arsonists, who left it a complete write-off.

The car, a 2004 BMW, had been reduced to a scarred and scorched mess of metal and upholstery. 

The car was just one of two torched during the same night. Police have confirmed they are investigating both incidents and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The other car destroyed was a Volkswagen Tiguan, which was parked about 50 metres away from Mr Montgomery’s vehicle.

Police had received a report of the fires at around 3.50am on Thursday morning and the fire service was deployed to extinguished the blazes.

Further reports were received of fires on the Killough Road and in St Patrick’s Avenue where bins had been set alight at both locations. An advertising hoarding in Market Street was also set on fire.

Mr Montgomery told how he and his wife had used their free pensioner bus passes now and again to travel to Belfast, leaving the car parked overnight at the station on a number of occasions. 

In celebration of their wedding anniversary, the couple, who have five children and nine grandchildren, enjoyed an evening in the city centre before spending the night at the Grand Central Hotel.

During breakfast the next morning, Barry said he received a call on his mobile but as he did not recognise the number he decided not to answer.

“Then I got a call from my son Mark who broke the bad news,” he said.

Mr Montgomery said he envisaged the damage to be much less damage than what he was greeted with.

“I thought maybe the car had a bit of scorch damage from a car that had been burnt out beside it or something like that.”

His disappointment was complete however, when he saw the vehicle. “It was a wreck. A total write-off,” he said. 

Mr Montgomery said it occurred to him that the call he had received at the hotel that morning may have been the police trying to contact him. 

“I rang it back and it was the police who had been trying to get me to tell me what had happened,” he said. 

Barry said he was particularly disappointed that the car had been torched because he had made efforts to keep it in top condition.

“The thing was, I had just spent over a thousand pounds on it, not long before, getting new wings for it. 

“With its age, it’s getting vintage and people will pay big money for them, but that dream is all over now,” he said. “It was a bit of a pet to me.”

He lamented what he regarded as an upsurge in anti-social behaviour in the down in recent weeks.

“There’s an awful lot of wanton destruction going on in Downpatrick lately and no body seems to be doing anything about it.”

Police have asked anyone with information to contact police in Downpatrick on 101 quoting reference number 134 01/09/22. 

A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.