Fires at Jewish homes 'racial crime'

Police say the six incidents are of a similar nature

Police are offering a £5,000 reward for information after a series of fires were started at Jewish homes.

The attacks on six houses in Hackney, east London, are being treated as racially motivated.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "They are being treated as racial crimes as all the victims are of the Jewish faith.

"The six incidents are being linked as they are of a similar nature, involving small fires started outside the doors of residential premises."

Search for woman

Nobody was injured in any of the attacks, which caused damage to the front doors of all six houses.

The first fire was on June 1 and the latest on June 26.

Officers are keen to trace a woman spotted on CCTV near the scene of the first attack.

She is described as black, wearing dark tracksuit trousers and a white top.

The reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the attacks.