Two men charged over arson attack in Wellington

Photo / File

Two men have been arrested and charged with arson over two Wellington fires in the last few months.

Police said they had arrested the men, aged 18 and 31, following a fire at the Karori Scout Hall in October last year and another at the Karori Mall in January.

The 18-year-old man is facing two charges of arson relating to both fires, while the 31-year-old man is facing a single charge relating to the Karori Mall fire, Detective Sergeant Joshua McAllum said.

Both men appeared in Wellington District Court yesterday and were remanded on strict bail conditions until their next appearance in April.

Mr McAllum said he hoped the arrests would come as a relief to the Karori community.

"The pair have been identified and will be prevented from putting further property and potentially people's lives at risk," he said.

Mr McAllum said police were continuing to investigate a number of smaller fires in the area and asked anyone with information to contact police on 04 381 2000.