Four fires in Levin puts police on alert
A spate of deliberately lit fires has Levin police urging people to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour.
While the fires — one claimed an old church — have police on high alert, they said there was nothing to suggest they were linked and were the work of a serial arsonist.
Police were investigating a host of potentially deliberately lit fires in the Levin area which have occurred over the last three months.
Some fires were minor rubbish bins deliberately lit, while others had claimed a house, garage and church.
“Although there’s been a number of fires over this period, there is nothing to suggest these fires are linked or there is only one person responsible,” it said.
The most recent fire claimed an old church building on Liverpool St in the early hours of December 29 last year, and also caused damage to the neighbouring house.
Extra police units were sent to the area and inquiries are ongoing.
Church member Mark Parker said new alarms at the church meant whenever they were activated the security company would ring him as he lived on the same street.
He took a call at 1.45am telling him of “multiple alarm activations”. He said it took four minutes to go to the toilet and put some pants on and rush out the gate.
He could see by the red glow down the street that it was no false alarm as the old church was already an inferno.
Mr Parker said he raced around to Pastor Paul White’s house, which was just around the corner, and woke him up.
“By the time we got there 20 to 30 people were there,” he said.
Levin fire chief Lindsay Walker said arson was hard to detect, which was why it was important that people were vigilant and reported any suspicious behaviour to police.
Police ask the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity by ringing Levin police on (06) 366- 0500 or calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.