Location: Westfield Riccarton
District: Canterbury

Arrests Made for Large Arson Which Occurred at Westfield Riccarton Mall on 10 July 2009

At 120.1pm on Tuesday 15 December 2009 Christchurch South, Detectives executed a search warrant at a Westport address relating to the large Arson of Westfield Riccarton Mall, 145 Riccarton Rd, which occurred in the early hours of Friday 10 July 2009.

This fire caused $235,000.00 worth of damage to the mall and a further 1.5 million dollars of damage to Farmers Trading Company stock mainly due to smoke damage.

A 29 year old former Christchurch male who is now residing in Westport, has been arrested and charged with the Arson that had engulfed the mall.

Further charges are pending these will relate to the setting of a fire which destroyed two nearby council wheelie bins which were in an alleyway behind 123 Riccarton Road and two fires that had occurred later in the morning at approximately 0503 am in Hagley Park.

The male appeared in the Westport District Court on Tuesday 15 December and has been remanded to Monday 21 December in the Christchurch District court.

ENDS

© Scoop Media