The man can be seen crouching between two cars (Picture: YouTube)

A suspected petrol thief set himself – and several cars – alight when he sparked up a cigarette.

The 26-year-old, who was believed to have been trying to siphon fuel from the tank of one of the vehicles, caused more than £60,000 worth of damage.

He was found hiding close to the private car park in Millicent, south Australia, with burns on his legs.

As the suspected thief lights a cigarette, the cars around him burst into flames (Picture: YouTube)

Car park owner Angus McDonald told Channel Ten Eyewitness News: ‘We were very lucky the building didn’t catch fire because there are cars just over the other side of the wall.’


The blaze was captured on CCTV, which shows the man – wearing a dark top and trousers – crouching between two vehicles.



As he lights a cigarette, the fuel bursts into flames and he emerges holding a burning object, thought to be the petrol container.

The man can be seen sprinting for the exit with a burning object in his hands (Picture: YouTube)

He then runs for the car park exit as the surrounding vehicles catch alight.

Police and the fire service were called to the scene shortly after 11pm.

The man was charged with arson and illegal interference with a motor vehicle.