Firebugs hit Rotorua

Young arsonists set fire to a school and smeared gang graffiti in faeces during a spate of suspicious fires in Rotorua yesterday.

Three fires had emergency services charging from one drama to the next yesterday in the Koutu and Kawaha Point suburbs of Rotorua.

Fires were started about 8am at Graham Barry Builders on Salisbury Rd, at 1.50pm at Kawaha Point Primary School and at 3.30pm in grass on Walker Rd.

In two of the incidents, teenagers were spotted running away from the scenes.

The attack at Kawaha Point Primary School was particularly disgusting as vandals had broken into the school's piazza, defecated, and then used their faeces to scrawl "East" on the walls and windows.

East is believed to be short for a gang that calls itself Eastside.

School principal Linda Woon said words could not describe how disgusted she was by the spreading of faeces around the inside of the building.

"The kind of mentality that would do that is the kind of mentality that could be in those gangs."

Rotorua Fire Service senior station officer Richard Anastasi said: "It looks like some kids may be bored in the school holidays already.

"So far it's fairly minor damage but if it happens at night, it could be a different story."

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)