Reward offered after van torched

Barbeque Bill Catering managing director Tony Cummings at the site of yesterday's apparent van...
Barbeque Bill Catering managing director Tony Cummings at the site of yesterday's apparent van arson. Photo by Jane Dawber.
A $1000 reward is being offered by a Dunedin catering company for information leading to a conviction after one of the company's vehicles was torched yesterday.

Barbeque Bill Catering managing director Tony Cummings said he was livid one of the vans parked in Helensburgh Rd was a "total write-off" after an apparent arson about 4am yesterday.

Specialist fire investigators would examine the vehicle today.

It was towed to a secure storage area by Reilly's Towage and Salvage yesterday.

Mr Cummings said it appeared the culprit had used a pot plant, taken from a nearby house, to smash a side window to gain entrance.

It was unknown how the fire started.

The van contained lpg containers, but these were not an explosion risk as they were designed to vent.

However, the material was an accelerant.

Closed circuit television footage of the area where 13 of the company's vans were parked showed two people at the site.

The torched van is out of the shot.

Mr Cummings said he would give the footage to police.

He said paying the reward was worthwhile in a bid to stop future arson attacks, which were bad for the community.

Senior Sergeant Craig Brown said two other incidents of suspected arson, of a wheelie bin, and a box of community newspapers, also occurred yesterday, in Moray Pl, both about 2.45am.

Snr Sgt Brown did not know if the incidents were linked, but inquiries continued.

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