Hundreds of Cars Damaged in Arson Attacks - Berlin’s car arson cases dip, but police still struggle to solve them
Berlin saw a slight drop in car arson incidents last year, with around 720 recorded cases compared to 750 in 2024. Despite the decrease, police continue to face challenges in solving these crimes, with arrests made in only a small number of cases.
In 2025, most car fires in Berlin were not linked to political motives. Out of the total, 407 vehicles were deliberately set alight for reasons such as vandalism, insurance fraud, or personal conflicts. Another 231 cars suffered damage from nearby fires, as intense heat warped or melted plastic parts.
Politically driven arson attacks remained rare, with only 12 incidents recorded last year. Yet, authorities have struggled to make arrests in these cases. No suspects were detained for politically motivated car fires in 2025, though 52 people were identified in connection with non-political incidents. The issue of politically motivated arson resurfaced in December 2024, when two right-wing extremists were convicted for a 2018 attack. Sebastian T., an NPD member, and Tilo P., a former AfD member, had set fire to cars in Berlin-Neukölln. Their targets were individuals involved in anti-right-wing activism.
The overall number of car arsons in Berlin has fallen slightly, but solving these crimes remains difficult. With only a fraction of cases leading to arrests, both non-political and politically motivated attacks continue to pose challenges for law enforcement. The majority of incidents still stem from personal disputes or criminal opportunism rather than extremist motives.
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