The number of deliberate fires across Havering has dropped by 83 per cent over the last decade, according to new figures.

The figures, from the London Fire Brigade show that last year there were 220 or around four deliberate fires in Havering a week, in comparison to 2001/2 when crews in the borough attended 25 deliberate fires a week.

Chris Drew, London Fire Brigade’s Borough Commander for Havering, said: “The dramatic decrease in deliberate fires means Londoners are a great deal safer from these needless acts of destruction than they were 10 years ago.

“We have worked incredibly hard with partners, the Police and the council, to bring these figures down and make the capital safer.”

The figures reveal that in 2001/2 there were 1320 deliberate fires- over 25 blazes every week in Havering.

Deliberate fires hit their lowest level last year with crews attending 220 incidents.

Despite the downward trend, fire chiefs are urging people to be vigilant.

Chris said: “We cannot be complacent. If people see an abandoned vehicle or rubbish dumped in the street, they should contact their local council, which will help get it removed so it cannot become a target for would be arsonists.”

A number of schemes have been set up by the Brigade to reduce deliberate fires.

Firefighters work closely with the Brigade’s Arson Task Force and Havering Council to remove abandoned vehicles and fly tipping from the streets.

The sharp decline in deliberate fires can be partly attributed to the increasing scrap value of motor vehicles making it less likely that they will be abandoned and therefore subject to arson.

In August 2001 old steel scrap was �35 per tonne.

Ten years later old steel scrap was more than five times more expensive at �185 per tonne.

The UK scrap industry is now worth around �5bn a year.