Nov. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Arsonists who burned five cars in Berlin today may have sought to imitate rioters in France, police in the German capital said. Another three cars were set alight at a car dealer in the northern German city of Bremen.

``As it can't be ruled out that these were imitation acts linked to the events in France, Berlin police will reinforce their presence,'' according to a statement on the police Web site. The unidentified suspects responsible for the fires in Berlin's Moabit district escaped, police said.

In the central Brussels area of Gare du Midi, five cars were burned by vandals, Agence France-Presse cited police in the Belgian capital as saying today. Belgian officials downplayed any connection with the French violence, saying the unrest was a local incident, the news agency reported.

More than 1,220 people have been arrested and about 4,700 vehicles have been torched in France since Oct. 27, as violence spread to cities throughout the country after youths rioted in several Paris suburbs. The unrest began after two youths in the Paris suburb of Clichy were electrocuted during what witnesses said was an attempt to flee a police check.

In Bremen, unidentified arsonists also set alight a garbage container and a disused school building late yesterday, the city's police said on their Web site, without making a connection to the violence in France.

To contact the reporter on this story: Friederike Peters in Berlin at fpeters1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 7, 2005 10:03 EST