Community outraged at arson attack on elderly woman

The community at a Tawa retirement village where an elderly woman's home was targeted by an arsonist on Sunday night, is "outraged" at the attack, police say.

Porirua police were this afternoon continuing their hunt for the person or people who hurled a suspected firebomb through the window of a retirement home unit forcing the elderly resident to flee for her life.

The 79-year-old woman, who was attached to an oxygen supply, was in bed listening to the radio on Sunday just before midnight when the missile crashed through the window of her Redwood Retirement Village unit.

Even though the woman was still attached to the oxygen tank, she was able to escape through a ranch slider but suffered smoke inhalation.

The officer heading the investigation, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Oxnam of Porirua CIB said the community was "understandably outraged" by the random attack, and police wanted the arsonist caught.

Mr Oxnam said they had received some calls from the public about the arson, and following these up.

He said the woman was recovering with family this week.

"We know she's got a supportive family around her and we're trying to give her plenty of space and we are just getting on with what we do.

"We're still looking for the arsonist and want to hear from people if they saw or heard anything suspicious in the Tawa area about midnight on Sunday," Mr Oxnam said.

"Offenders love to talk about what they've done. If people hear anything, or have any thoughts on who might be involved, we want them to call us."

Police, fire and ESR teams have completed a scene examination of the woman's unit, he said.

The woman's grandson told a press conference yesterday the crime came as a huge shock to his family.

"As time goes on it's more and more senseless the more we think about it and it's just a shock."

He said the family could not fathom why anyone would attack his grandmother.

"It's just stupid, absolutely stupid, just crazy."

- NZPA