• There are 2,213 arson attacks.
• Arson kills 2 people.
• Arson injures 53 people.
• 20 schools or Colleges are destroyed.
• 262 homes are damaged or destroyed by arson.
• 360 businesses or public buildings are damaged or destroyed    by arson.
• 1,402 cars are damaged or destroyed by arson

Arson costs the economy £53.8 million pounds
each week in England and Wales

Mail Guard is a new invention which aims to prevent arson attacks where accelerants are introduced through the household letterbox, such as petrol, fireworks or lit newspapers. The device can be fitted to any household letterbox and features an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system. It also contains any fire or flammable substance which may be introduced through the door. Police Sergeant Phil Butler, from the West Midlands Arson Taskforce, said: 'This product can be attached to any style of letterbox and can help prevent objects being introduced through letterboxes to start fires.' Station Officer Ian Rawlings co-ordinator of the West Midlands ATF said 'The Letterbox is used far too often to introduce fires into buildings, since August 2004 the West Midlands Fire Service has recorded 93 such incidents. We in the Arson Task Force regularly review and assist in the development of products such as this, which are aimed at arson and fire prevention' While we are looking at all innovative ways of reducing arson, this device can also be used to prevent anti-social behaviour, for example, youngsters attempting to push things through letter boxes. It can also help in the fight against burglary as people cannot look through the letter box or put their hands through to reach for keys, for example.