Mark Lyon owns most of the property at 15 Karaka St, where police have made multiple arrests. Photo Natalie Slade
Mark Lyon owns most of the property at 15 Karaka St, where police have made multiple arrests. Photo Natalie Slade
A building owned by a notorious criminal has been shut down by the council and is being monitored by police after months of complaints from residents and business owners in the area about unsavoury and frightening activity.
A police source told the Herald a teenager was kidnapped, tied to achair with a pillowcase over his head in a basement room and assaulted with weapons for days before he climbed out a window at the Artizanz building in Eden Terrace.
People who live and work in surrounding buildings say firearms have been discharged inside the building numerous times, fights are a regular occurrence and patched gang members come and go daily.
The property at 15 Karaka Street. Neighbours have said they have heard gunshots coming from the building. Photo / Nick Reed
The building at 15 Karaka St is owned by former property developer Mark Lyon, currently serving 15 years in prison on sex and drugs charges including offences against girls as young as 14.
He used methamphetamine to exploit sex acts from girls and carried out a prolonged punishment assault against a woman shackled in a "dungeon" at Artizanz.
Since he was jailed police have raided the property regularly and arrested people living there on a number of occasions.
Police boarded up the building's doors after raids. Photo / Nick Reed
The building has 28 internal units and Lyon holds the titles to all but three. It is listed as a commercial property but people regularly reside there. In 2012, Auckland Council issued an abatement notice forcing tenants to move out.
Since then a steady stream of people have continued to live there, including some bailed to the address by the district court.
Last month, two women were arrested at the property after a dawn raid. Armed police broke down doors and found 375 rounds of varying ammunition inside and a further 7 shotgun rounds in a car outside.
The women listed 15 Karaka St as their address on court records.
After the raid, police boarded up the doors, but by the next morning new peepholes had been drilled into the plywood from the inside and people had been spotted going inside through a back door.
It is understood the council gave the "tenants" two weeks to vacate.
Council compliance manager Stefan Naude said there have been "ongoing issues" at Artizanz but addressing them was problematic.
"The tenants occupying the site pose a safety risk to council officers, which has made investigating those issues more difficult," he said.
Since Lyon's arrest police have raided the building regularly. Photo / Nick Reed
He said the building had been investigated but he could not comment further on the specifics.
On Friday, police confirmed that the building had effectively been shut down and that they would work to make sure it stayed that way.
"Auckland Police in collaboration with the Fire Service and Auckland Council have been working for some time to ensure public safety in relation to this building," said acting central Auckland Area Commander Inspector Matt Srhoj.
"Police have executed a number of search warrants on the property. As a result of the combined efforts, the building has been deemed unsafe and we now have trespass authority for the property which ensures that no one is able to enter or reside in the building. Police continue to visit the building to ensure compliance."
has learned there is about $128,000 in unpaid rates for the building. However, unlike other cases where unpaid rates have forced house sales, that was not yet on the cards for Artizanz.
"Auckland Council has a policy around rating sales and there are certain criteria that need to be met. In this case, the criteria has not been met yet," said accounting services general manager Sharmaine Naidoo.
"As long as there is a mortgage on the property, the council will liaise with the mortgagee to collect arrears ... Council uses a variety of collection methods which are best suited to each ratepayer's situation."
She could not comment further on the rates arrears for privacy reasons.
Those who live and work on Karaka St spoke to the Herald about the Artizanz building. The council and police have received a number of complaints from people in the area.
None wanted to be named due to Mark Lyon's criminal history, fearing repercussions, but all said they wanted the building shut down, if not demolished. They said Black Power, Head Hunters and Mongrel Mob gang members who frequent the building were intimidating and they worried about their safety. Hearing gunshots and the constant police presence did little to quell their fears.
"In July a shotgun was fired inside the building and then a bunch of tattooed guys ran out and took off in cars," one person said. "Local residents, property owners, business owners and workers don't want that sort of thing happening. It is all very, very murky - and rather worrying. Not just a case of unsocial neighbours."
Another person reported seeing a bloodied young man climbing out a window in his underwear and running off one morning. A police source said the man had been kidnapped and tortured in the building. The incident was described as akin to something from the highly violent Quentin Tarantino movie Reservoir Dogs.
