Police fear a man who tried to blow up a Rotorua petrol station may try it again if he isn't caught.
The man spent 45 minutes in the early hours of the morning just over a week ago at the BP Edmund Road Automart trying to set fire
to the petrol pumps by pouring flammable liquid on pump handles and igniting them.
Detective Constable James Driver of the Rotorua CIB said the man obviously didn't realise he was being recorded on surveillance camera because he made no attempt to cover himself up. However, the police have been unable to get a clear image of the man from the camera for publication.
The man went to the Edmund Rd service station between 2am and 2.45am on Monday April 28 - after Anzac weekend.
He tried to light several fires in and around the service station's forecourt and pumps, Mr Driver said.
The man's final attempt saw him putting several pump handles into a plastic bin in the forecourt. He doused them with a flammable liquid before trying to ignite them. His attempts were unsuccessful although the plastic handles on the pumps were destroyed.
Mr Driver said the pumps were designed in such a way that no fuel was in the pump lines if the pumps weren't operating. However, he said the potential for massive destruction was still high.
"It was potentially quite a horrific thing if it caught fire and could have done sizeable damage. A big hole would have been left."
BP Edmund Road Automart manager David Davies said he was unable to comment to the media. BP's head office was also unable to comment in time for the newspaper's deadline.
The man who tried to set fire to the Rotorua BP station was described as possibly Caucasian, about 175cm to 180cm tall (5.7ft to 5.8ft) and of average to thin build. He was wearing black knee-length shorts, black footwear (possibly skateboard shoes) with a white motif on the side, white ankle high socks and a black top with either short sleeves or with the sleeves pushed up.
Mr Driver said police wanted to talk to witnesses in the Homedale or Mangakakahi suburbs of Rotorua.
* Can you help? If so, ring police on (07) 348 0099 or confidentially by calling (0800) TIPOFF, (0800) 847 633.
Police fear a man who tried to blow up a Rotorua petrol station may try it again if he isn't caught.
The man spent 45 minutes in the early hours of the morning just over a week ago at the BP Edmund Road Automart trying to set fire
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