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THIS is the shocking moment a vile thug is captured on CCTV lighting two petrol bombs in broad daylight before hurling them at a Muslim halal butchers.

The yob can be seen lighting the bottles at a bus stop before going on to launch them at the shop in Walsall, West Midlands, before running off.

 The unidentified yob is filmed lighting the petrol bomb on a bin outside the Walsall shop on Monday
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The unidentified yob is filmed lighting the petrol bomb on a bin outside the Walsall shop on MondayCredit: SWNS
 Once the petrol bomb is lit, he steps away from the bin and walks towards the halal butchers shop
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Once the petrol bomb is lit, he steps away from the bin and walks towards the halal butchers shopCredit: SWNS
 Off camera he hurls the bomb at the shop before fleeing on foot
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Off camera he hurls the bomb at the shop before fleeing on footCredit: SWNS

Moments later the Kashmir Meat & Poultry was attacked and a worker narrowly escaped after the business was gutted by flames on Monday.

Yet despite a steep rise in hate crimes since the Brexit vote, West Midlands Police insist they are not treating the incident as a racist attack.

In a bid to track down the thugs, police have released the footage the thug – who is wearing a blue hooded top – carrying out the crime.

Detective Inspector Greg Evans, said: "This was undoubtedly a targeted attack - but we have a positive line of enquiry suggesting it was not based on the victim's membership of any ethnic group.

 Kashmir Meat & Poultry was left badly damaged by the horrific incident and police are now appealing for help to identify the arsonist
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Kashmir Meat & Poultry was left badly damaged by the horrific incident and police are now appealing for help to identify the arsonistCredit: SWNS
 Yet despite a huge increase in race hate crimes in the weeks after the Brexit vote, police to not believe the incident is linked
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Yet despite a huge increase in race hate crimes in the weeks after the Brexit vote, police to not believe the incident is linkedCredit: SWNS

"We've been speaking to local people and the feeling is that this is not a racially-motivated offence and they have not perceived any increased tension in recent days.

“That sentiment is echoed by the council's community cohesion group.

"We can't get a clear image of the offender's face from the CCTV footage - though he's understood to be a white man - but he is wearing a distinctive two-tone blue jacket.

"I'm convinced someone will recognise that jacket and suspect who may be behind this arson.

"This was a shocking attack on a store in broad daylight and one which could easily have resulted in serious injuries or fatalities.

 Race hate crimes have increased five-fold in the weeks since Britain voted to leave the EU, police chiefs have said
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Race hate crimes have increased five-fold in the weeks since Britain voted to leave the EU, police chiefs have saidCredit: SWNS

"We need to know who this man is, so please call us or the independent charity Crimestoppers with information."

Police chiefs have announced a five-fold increase in hate crime since Britain chose to leave the EU last Friday.

More than 331 incidents have been reported since Thursday compared with a usual weekly average of 63.


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