Northern Ireland

Petrol-bomb attack in Ballymena

Police are investigating the attack
Police are investigating the attack Police are investigating the attack

POLICE are investigating after a window of a car parked in Co Antrim was smashed and a petrol bomb thrown inside.

The attack happened in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena during the early hours of today.

Police are also probing if a report of graffiti sprayed on a van, also parked in Clonavon Terrace, may be linked.

A PSNI spokesman said: "A report was received at 1.40am that a car parked outside a property at Clonavon Terrace had been set alight.

"Officers attended the scene, and discovered that a window on the vehicle had been smashed, and what appears to have been a petrol bomb was thrown inside, which ignited briefly before extinguishing itself.

"It was reported that two people were seen in the area at the time of the incident. They have been described as being of slim build, and approximately 5ft in height. One was described as wearing a white hoodie with the hood pulled up, and dark coloured trousers. The other person was said to be wearing a dark coloured tracksuit with the hood pulled up."

The spokesman added that the graffiti sprayed on the van parked in Clonavon Terrace is believed to have happened around the same time as the petrol bomb incident.

"Detectives are investigating if there is a potential link between the two reports," he said.

"We are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time, and may have witnessed any suspicious activity, or who has any information which may assist police with their inquiries, to call 101."