Surveillance video shows arsonist setting fire to cars in Evanston alley

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- Police on Thursday released surveillance video of an arson in which two cars were set on fire in Evanston last week.

Around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 19,  Evanston police and fire crews were called to the alley behind the 2300 block of Sherman Avenue, just west of the main Northwestern University campus, where they found a Nissan and a Toyota both on fire.

Firefighters put out the fires, which had engulfed the front portions of both cars. A Honda parked nearby sustained heat damage.

No one was injured.

Investigators later found surveillance video, in which somebody is seen walking up to the cars -- which are parked diagonally in designated spaces in in the alley. The person is pouring what is believed to be an accelerant on the hoods, lighting the cars on fire, and running rapidly away.

Evanston police released the video to the public on Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Evanston Police Detective Bureau at (847) 866-5040, or text CRIMES (274637) and start the message with EPDTIP.