Charges over police station fire

File photo / NZ Herald

Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with a fire at the Coromandel Police Station in the early hours of Good Friday.

Coromandel Peninsula Senior Sergeant Graham Shields said a 32-year-old Coromandel man and a 21-year-old Thames man were arrested last Friday and appeared in Hamilton District Court on Saturday.

They were charged with intentional damage by way of fire and had been remanded to appear again later this month.

A further arrest was possible, Mr Shields said.

The arrests confirmed the police's view that the attack was retaliation by members of the criminal fraternity in Coromandel town, Mr Shields said.

"Since Christmas there have been problems with burglaries and drugs in Coromandel and police there and from other places have been doing some good work and there have been lots of arrests.

"The result was some of the criminal fraternity trying to intimidate the Coromandel police and make them back off."

Neighbours alerted Senior Constable John Morrissey, who lives behind the station in Kapanaga Rd, to the fire about 3.45am. He doused it using a fire hose in the station.

Damage to the station was limited to exterior cladding, some floor joists and wiring. Police operations were unaffected.

- NZPA