KEY POINTS:
Invercargill police are reluctant to link a fire on a vacant property in front of Mongrel Mob headquarters to two other fires this week close to gang property.
Senior Sergeant Olaf Jensen said the latest fire, at the front of the gang compound in Severn Street, started about 9.20pm yesterday.
Police were attempting to locate the owner of the property, he said.
"It would appear this address is only linked to the Mongrel Mob by its actual physical location.
"The connection with the Mongrel Mob might just be the fact that it is in front to the Mongrel Mob headquarters," he said.
Mr Jensen said the inquiry was in its early stages and it was not clear whether the blaze was related to two fires earlier in the week.
"It would be wrong for me to comment on that, we've got to establish a cause," he said.
This week police investigated two fires at Balmoral Drive, home of the Road Knights gang, and at Severn Street, the headquarters of the Mongrel Mob.
Eight members of the Invercargill and Dunedin Mongrel Mob appeared in Invercargill District Court on Friday on a variety of charges involving arson, criminal damage, and unlawful possession of firearms.
Mr Jensen said police would be working with fire safety investigators to determine the cause of the fire.
Witnesses in neighbouring properties would also be interviewed, he said.
Mr Jenson said earlier two Harley Davidson motorbikes had been taken from the Road Knights' address and taken by trailer to the Mob address, where they were later destroyed.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the bikes being transported to the Severn Street address.
Mr Jenson said police were maintaining a high profile about the city in response to the gang tension and asked the public report any activity that may be of concern, whether gang related or not.
- NZPA
