Police hunt Hastings arsonist

The Pirate Ship at Splash Planet was burnt to the ground. Photo / Warren Buckland

Police are urgently seeking "the call" that will help nail an arsonist suspected of starting at least eight early-morning fires in Hastings in the past six weeks.

The most recent blaze destroyed the near 50-year-old Splash Planet pirate ship during Easter.

The fires have been mainly in the Parkvale-Mayfair area of the city. The first was about midnight on February 28.

Also targeted have been three vehicles, two vacant houses, and a high-school classroom.

On two mornings, March 14 and April 1, separate fires were started less than two hours apart, the second fire last Wednesday, a truck at a property in Buller St, the only one of the fires outside the Parkvale-Mayfair area and near Southampton St.

Police are not including a fire in a doorway of a building at St Columba's Church, Taradale, on Easter Sunday.

It is not believed to be linked to the Hastings incidents, and also at this stage they are not linking a small number of fires in Totara St, Hastings in February.

But Hawke's Bay area CIB investigations officer-in-charge Detective Senior Sergeant Martin James is sure the fires in Hastings since the end of February are linked.

"We are quite confident.

"And we are sure there are people who know the information we need.

"We need that call, immediately.

"There are not a lot of people on the streets at that sort of time," he said.

"If it's half-past-two in the morning, and there are people out on the street, they're possibly up to no good.

"Anyone walking the streets around the Grove Rd, Sylvan Rd and St Aubyn St area in particular."

In one of the arsons, a car in Jellicoe St was torched after an intruder flicking a cigarette lighter was disturbed in a house occupied by a woman and her children.

The Miller Street fire followed soon afterwards.

Anyone with information should phone Hastings police on 06 873 0500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Heat trail
•Saturday, February 28, midnight: Relocated vacant house on a vacant section in Victoria St was set on fire
•Sunday, March 1: Fire destroys a relocated property on Hastings St.
•Friday, March 13, 5am: Vehicle set on fire outside a Jellicoe St house.
•Saturday, March 14, 4.25am: Car parked on Alexandra St set on fire.
•Saturday, March 14, 5.56am: Vacant house in Miller St set on fire, extensively damaged.
•Wednesday, April 1, 12.30am: Classroom at St John's College was set on fire.
•Wednesday, April 1, 2.03am: Truck set on fire in driveway of Buller St address.
•Sunday, April 5, 6am: Pirate ship at Splash Planet set on fire and destroyed.