Seventy-eight cars have been burned and dumped on an Oxford estate so far this year more than in the whole of 1999.

Some residents in Blackbird Leys have expressed alarm at the level of car crime and city councillors have promised action to stop the criminals, but police insist there is no serious cause for concern.

In the latest incident yesterday, three cars and a rubbish bin were set on fire at the Pegasus Road recreation ground. No-one was hurt but police said they were treating the attacks as arson. One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "I have lived here since 1965 and people keep telling us things are getting better, but I don't see that much has changed. They race around the recreation ground on motorbikes and in cars, then burn and dump them. It is a regular occurrence. As far as I can see, it never got better. People don't feel safe."

The worst month for car fires at Blackbird Leys so far this year was June when 17 were torched. According to fire brigade statistics, 58 cars were found burnt out on the estate last year. Val Smith, Blackbird Leys city councillor, said the problem seemed to have worsened recently and after 25 years living in the area she was still baffled why car crime happened so regularly.

Despite police education programmes in schools, the problem was still far from solved, she said.

She added: "Things get better and then we have a spate where it gets worse.

"But we are taking action. We can now remove the wrecks very quickly. "In Oxford it just seems to be the thing that young people do. Perhaps we need to frighten younger kids into realising the dangers. Unfortunately it sometimes takes a tragedy to make things stop."

A police spokesman said statistics showed the area was not targeted by car criminals, despite residents' claims.