Police appeal for information on suspicious fires
GREYMOUTH
A SPATE of suspicious fires over the New Year period has sparked an appeal from Greymouth police.
Relieving area investigations manager Acting Detective Senior Sergeant James Simpson said police were taking the incidents extremely seriously.
They follow two suspicious fires earlier in December, which were still under investigation.
About 11pm on New Year’s Eve, scrub at the Domett Esplanade in Cobden was set alight.
About the same time, a car was set alight at a property in Peel St, Cobden.
On New Year's Day a fire was lit underneath a campervan parked at Cobden tiphead campervan park some time between 2.30am and 8am.
At 10.15pm on Saturday, January 2, several damaged cars parked in Prestons Rd, Blaketown, were set on fire.
About 20 minutes later a fire was lit underneath another campervan parked at the Blaketown tiphead campervan park.
Nobody was injured in the incidents, but police were particularly concerned by the two campervan fires, as people were staying in the vehicles at the time.
‘‘Police are determined to find the person or people responsible for these fires, and officers will be conducting reassurance patrols in the tiphead areas,’’ Acting Snr Sgt Simpson said.
Anyone with information, or anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Cobden or Blaketown areas over the New Year period, was asked to call 105.
That included anyone who had CCTV or dashcam footage that could help.
Police were also still investigating two suspicious fires that occurred in Thompson St, on December 16 and Willis St, on December 18.
No arrests have been made at this stage.
‘‘Officers are keeping an open mind as to any potential links between any of these fires and we urge the public to come forward with any information, no matter how insignificant you think it is.’’ — Greymouth Star