The fire brigade “Oberursel Mitte” were called to the Rushmoor Park in the early hours of Saturday morning (29th June, 2013), where the red telephone box had been set on fire.
The telephone box had been in use as a library where people could go to read and either borrow or exchange books.
Both the books and the telephone box itself suffered substantial damage in the blaze which has been estimated at €1,500. Police believe that the box was subject to an arson attack, a theory supported by the fact that a rubbish bin was also set alight on the nearby Oberhöchstadterstraße only half an hour beforehand and also had to be extinguished by the fire brigade.
The burnt out telephone box on Sunday morning
In a separate incident, several rubbish bins had been set alight three nights early in the Jean-Sauer-Weg in the Camp King area of the town, again resulting in both the police and fire brigade attending.
Witnesses are asked to call detectives in Bad Homburg on 06172 1200.
Charred remains of the books in the Rushmoor Park
About Graham Tappenden
This is really a sad story. The telephone box was a donation of the City Council of Rushmoor, our twin town in England.