Devastated Swede brands city 'lawless' after thugs set her car on fire
A HORRIFIED Swedish woman has said the country's third-largest city is descending into lawlessness after thugs set her car alight.
Vandals set fire to car in Sweden causing massive blaze
Lejla Heco was left traumatised after she was forced to watch as her vehicle was targeted by vandals, who have been wreaking havoc across the city.
The shocking incident happened just 50 minutes after the 28-year-old parked the car outside her father’s house in Malmo last Monday.
A devastated Ms Heco told Expressen.se: “It’s horrible. I lived in New York for six years but crime in Malmo is actually worse.
“It feels downright traumatic. When I saw the police lights in the street, I just knew it was my car that was going up in flames.”
Lejla Heco was forced to watch as her car went up in flames
Lashing out against the deteriorating state of Malmo she said shootings and car fires had become commonplace.
"At first I though someone had shot a rocket at the car for it to catch fire. But the attending officers said the cause of the blaze was arson," Ms Heco added.
"I think this is a social problem, there are shootings, car fires and so much s*** going on in Malmo. Thankfully, I haven’t experienced it before."
The shocked Swede said New York was a much safer city than Malmo as the police force struggling to regain control over rising levels of violent and anti-social crime.
Sweden in CHAOS as police lose control
I lived in New York for six years but crime in Malmo is actually worse
In 2016, the Swedish city saw a surge of violence as more than 70 cars burned out in less than three months over the summer.
During one weekend in September alone, more than 20 vehicles were set on fire in the southern city, in what was branded "revenge attacks" as local forces cracked down on organised crime.
At the time, Officer Erik Jansåker said: "This, in my opinion, is criminal people who are [lashing out] because of our efforts to [crack down] on the serious organised crime."
Arson attacks have taken place across the Scandinavian country and in November horrific footage of cars burning out in Stockholm became an issue of national concern.
The Swede blasted Malmo was becoming a lawless area as shootings and car fires were commonplace
Public services in Sweden have repeatedly said they need greater support to cope with increasing demand following the unprecedented influx of asylum-seekers since the migrant crisis began in 2015.
In February Sweden's National Criminal Investigation Service issued a report where it stated that 52 areas in Sweden were so overrun by criminal activity they had been placed on a “no-go zone” list.
In September the police were forced to increase the figure to 55 areas as the force appears to be losing the battle against increasing levels violence in the streets.