Arson attacks on Berlin cars continue unabated

BERLIN (AP) -- Berlin police say a new spate of arson attacks on
cars in the German capital is continuing into a second week despite
their efforts to catch the vandals.
   Police said Tuesday 11 more cars were burned overnight in the
latest in a string of attacks that have seen more-than 300 cars
damaged since the beginning of the year.
   Past arson attacks on luxury cars in Berlin and Hamburg have
been blamed on leftist extremists, but police say the current
attacks have also included some lower-end vehicles.
   Despite dedicating some 350 officers and a helicopter with a
thermal camera to the case, as well as a euro5,000 ($7,180) reward,
police have had no success in finding the perpetrators.
   Mayor Klaus Wowereit lamented in Tuesday's Hamburger Abendblatt
newspaper that "we can't keep the whole city under surveillance."
   (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)
   APNP-08-23-11 0601MDT