A CAR owner today told of his frustration after yobs plundered stereo equipment and torched four cars in two connected arson attacks in Ipswich.Nexhmi Trepca, of Bader Close, was woken by a neighbour in the early hours of this morning as flames ripped through one of his Vauxhall Astras and badly damaged the other.

A CAR owner today told of his frustration after yobs plundered stereo equipment and torched four cars in two connected arson attacks in Ipswich.

Nexhmi Trepca, of Bader Close, was woken by a neighbour in the early hours of this morning as flames ripped through one of his Vauxhall Astras and badly damaged the other.

The cars were damaged after thieves stole stereo equipment from a red Ford Escort belonging to a friend of Mr Trepca's which was parked in between his two Astras.

The Escort was set alight and completely gutted and the fire spread to Mr Trepca's blue Astra, which was also gutted, as well as to his white Astra, which suffered damage to the right side.

Today the 31-year-old factory worker and takeaway delivery driver who moved to England from war-torn Kosovo seven years ago said: “They stole my friend's stereo. They set it alight because they stole everything. My neighbour woke me and when I came outside I just saw the flames.”

Another Bader Close resident, who asked not to be named, told how loud bangs were heard when the cars were engulfed by flames.

She said: “I was really scared. I got up and heard some bangs and I thought it was gunshots at first.

“I looked out the window and I could see the fire. It was massive, it really was.”

Police believe the thieves bent the driver and passenger doors of the Escort to gain entry before stealing the stereo equipment and torching it at about 1.30am.

Firefighters extinguished the flames and made the scene safe by about 2.15am but the burnt out wrecks of the cars still littered the close's parking area this morning.

Suffolk police are treating the incident as theft and arson and are linking it to the torching of another car in nearby Howe Avenue where stereo equipment is thought to have been stolen from a green Ford Escort before it was set alight.

That arson attack happened at about 2am.

Anyone with information about either incident should telephone Pc Joseph Askham on 01473 613500.