San Pedro, Nuevo León: Six cars set on fire

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Proceso

MONTERREY, NL, (AP) -  Unidentified people burned six cars last night in three places in San Pedro, with the apparent purpose of destabilizing the municipality. No injuries have been reported.

One person was arrested, but authorities are seeking to confirm whether he participated in the coordinated criminal action.

 

The Ministry of Public Security of that locality reported that on Tuesday at 21:36 there were two arson attacks, one on Avenida Ricardo Margáin and one on Lázaro Cárdenas, where four burning cars were reported, and other ones on Avenida  Fuentes del Valle and Monte Aventino where similar acts were reported.

 

In the early morning a burnt car was found on Corporativa Avenue, behind the Losoles building, an incident that the detectives consider linked to the other events.

Security cameras revealed that the strangers approached their targets with drums full of fuel that they scattered in the cars, to which they set on fire with matches, before retiring on foot.

The investigation has revealed that the perpetrators were young men dressed in baggy clothes called "cholo" style worn by a sector of the population.

 

A source related to the investigations said that it is believed that the attack is intended to "heat the plaza" a criminal action that seeks to create fear among citizens and institutions in a certain city.

 

It has not been specified if the act was carried out by a criminal group nor if there were previous threats.

 

So far, the incident has been officially called an act of vandalism.

 

Last November it became known that a truck was burned in the center of San Pedro and, near there, an intimidating message was sent to the Secretary of Security, Felipe Gallo.

The current administration of San Pedro, headed by the mayor unaffiliated with any party, Miguel Treviño, took office on October 30.