Firefighters extinguish a fire in a Whangārei woman's car, one of a spate of arson attacks in the suburb of Tikipunga. Photo: Supplied
A Whangārei woman is distraught - as well as out of pocket and without transport - after her car was destroyed during a spate of seemingly random arson attacks.
Police say three cars have been set on fire in the suburb of Tikipunga this month, all of them on people's driveways in the early hours of the morning.
Sara May, 25, said her car was torched about 4.15am on Wednesday this week; another car a few streets away was burnt out on Thursday.
The fire also destroyed her driver's licence, her three-year-son's car seat and pram, clothing, and personal belongings.
May said her partner was jolted out of bed when the fire triggered the car horn.
"He said, 'babe, you car's on fire'. My first thought was, 'it can't be'. Then I saw the flames coming out the windows and I went into a panic. It was right there outside the window. It was terrifying," she said.
The car was parked on the driveway, within the property, and less than a metre from a tall wooden fence.
Her partner raced outside and started dousing the fire with a hose while she called 111.
She feared the flames could spread via the fence and trees to the house.
May said she knew no reason why she would be targeted, and believed the fires were random.
"It seems like someone's just going around doing this for no reason."
The car, which she'd bought second-hand four years ago, was insured - but the amount she'd get back was so minimal it would not come close to covering the cost of a replacement.
She also had "zero savings".
Once her son was in day care she'd be able to look for a job, but she'd need transport first.
The blaze had left her distraught and in disbelief, she said.
She had been pleasantly surprised, however, by the response when she set up a Givealittle page explaining her plight.
"There are some amazing people out there, who've been incredibly supportive and generous."
As of 5pm on Friday more than $3700 had been donated.
Some "lovely ladies" had given her a pram and car seat, and neighbours had dropped off toys to replace what her boy had lost in the blaze.
Between the Givealittle appeal and the small insurance payout, she hoped she would have enough to buy a reliable, road-legal car.
May said she'd become attached to her old car, a 2002 Honda Torneo, in the four years she'd owned it.
"It was reliable and safe and it always got me from A to B. I never had any issues with it."
She said she didn't want anyone else to lose their car to a random arson attack.
"This just has to stop. Someone could be killed," she said.
Detective Sergeant Pieter Serfontein, of the Whangārei CIB, said police were "keeping an open mind" as to whether all three fires involved the same offenders.
There was no known link with a fire that took the life of Tikipunga resident John Reuben, also known as Hoani Reupena-Tuoro.
The 61-year-old died after a car fire spread to his Thomas Street home just before 3am on 29 April.
A 48-year-old Whangārei man, August Lemon, was arrested last month in relation to that fire and charged with knowingly endangering life by setting fire to property.
Lemon was denied bail and is in custody.
Serfontein urged Tikipunga residents to be vigilant, especially in the early hours of the morning, and report any suspicious activity by calling 111.
While no one had been injured in the latest fires, they had a serious effect on families who had lost their only means of transportation.
Serfontein asked anyone with information about the fires to call 105 or use the online reporting form, quoting reference number 240912/0211.
