Mayor’s plea for calm as tensions rise

Two suspicious house fires and shots fired at a car on Wairoa’s main street have been linked to gang tensions and prompted the town’s mayor to call for calm.

The Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs have long had a presence in the northern Hawke’s Bay district, with flareups between the two occurring sporadically for decades.

Events over the past eight days have led to an increased police presence in the town and have prompted mayor Craig Little to call on residents not to ‘‘take matters into their own hands’’.

It began with a house fire on Apatu St early on January 25, which left the home extensively damaged. Residents were able to get out of the house and there were no injuries.

A few days later, about midday on January 29, police were called after a report of a firearm being discharged from a vehicle at another vehicle on Marine Parade.

There were no injuries reported. Police conducted an initial scene examination. A police spokesperson said one vehicle of interest had been found and inquiries were ongoing.

Shortly after midnight that night there was a second suspicious house fire. This house was also heavily damaged, but residents were able to escape unharmed.

The police spokesperson said it was unknown at this stage if the fires were directly linked.

‘‘Police have some positive lines of inquiry into both fires, and the investigations continue,’’ he said.

On Wednesday, Little issued a statement saying community leaders had met with police ‘‘and it is reassuring to know there will be additional police and extra resources in the Wairoa district specifically with a focus on gangs and the suppression, disruption and prevention of organised crime in Tairāwhiti and Eastern District’’.