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An arrest has been made over the arson attack on the Botany electorate office of the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday, Counties Manukau Police say.
This Thursday morning, detective inspector Karen Bright, of Counties Manukau Police criminal investigation branch (CIB), said: “A man has been charged with arson in relation to a small fire at a Northpark electoral office yesterday.
“Emergency services responded to Millhouse Drive shortly after 9.50am [on June 3].”
Bright says a 24-year-old man is due to appear in the Manukau District Court today, June 4, charged with arson.
“Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the fire,” Bright said.
On Wednesday morning, a crime scene was established at the Botany electorate office at 122 Millhouse Drive.
When the Times arrived at the scene, police had cordoned off the property at the boundary using ‘Crime Scene’ tape.
Counties Manukau Police told the Times at 12.45pm on Wednesday they were “treating the circumstances as suspicious, and investigations will be ongoing”.
Bright said: “At around 9.53am emergency services responded to reports of a small fire at the rear of an electoral office on Millhouse Drive, Northpark.
“The fire was extinguished quickly by Fire and Emergency New Zealand.”
Neighbours who live across the street told the Times on the footpath outside their home that they heard a “loud bang and saw smoke” billowing from the rear of the Prime Minister’s electorate office property at about 9.45am.
They said a FENZ truck and crew attended the scene shortly after. It had departed when the Times arrived by 10.25am.
Five police cars were parked around the property on the corner of Millhouse Drive and Kilimanjaro Drive at 10.30am on June 3.
