Progress in Waikaia Arson Probe: Gore Police Identify Vehicle, Exclude Suspect

• Gore Police have made advancements in the arson case of a Waikaia property, identifying a key vehicle and linking additional crimes.
• The investigation has revealed prior thefts at the arson site and similar crimes in the area, excluding a previously suspected ute driver.
• Authorities are calling for public assistance in providing information or dashcam footage related to the incident and suspicious activities.

Detective Sergeant Brian McKinney from Gore Police has shared an update on the ongoing investigation into the arson of a property in Waikaia. The police have made significant progress, identifying one of the vehicles they were looking for and uncovering additional crimes that may be connected to the case.
Related: Police Seek Two Vehicles in Connection with Suspicious Waikaia House Fire

Before the property was set on fire, it’s believed that several items, including a weed eater and chainsaws, were stolen from the premises. The police have discovered similar thefts in the Waikaia township, involving comparable items, and are exploring the connection between these thefts and the arson.

The involvement of a ute driver, previously sought by the police, in the arson or thefts has been ruled out. However, efforts continue to find the driver of a red vehicle seen in the Waikaia-Riversdale Road area when the arson occurred, as they may have important information.

The police are reaching out to the community for help. They urge anyone who has been a victim of similar thefts or has any information about suspicious activities that haven’t been reported yet to come forward. They are also seeking dashcam footage from the Waikaia-Riversdale Road area, specifically between 12 am and 2 am on Wednesday, 21 February.

If you have any information about the red vehicle, dashcam footage, have been a victim of theft, or have any details that could aid the investigation, you are encouraged to contact the police. Reports can be made by calling 105, online at the official police website with the reference file number 240222/8704, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.