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Northland police are urging Whangārei residents to be vigilant after a spate of suspicious car fires in the suburb of Tikipunga.

All fires started in the early hours of the morning in cars parked in people’s driveways, with the most recent blaze on Thomas Street just before 6.30am Thursday.

It was the third such fire in the area this month.

Detective Sergeant Pieter Serfontein urged Tikipunga residents to report any suspicious activity by calling 111 immediately.

Serfontein also wanted to hear from anyone with information about the fires.

The other blazes were at 6.15am on 2 September, outside a house on Thompson Place, and around 4.15am on 11 September, in the driveway of a Heretaunga Street property.

Serfontein said their enquiry was still in its early stages and police were “keeping an open mind” as to whether all three fires were linked or involved the same offenders.

There was no known connection with a fire that took the life of Thomas Street resident John Reuben, also known as Hoani Reupena-Tuoro.

The 61-year-old died after a car fire spread to his Kāinga Ora home just before 3am on 29 April.

A 48-year-old Whangārei man, August Lemon, was arrested last month in relation to that fire and charged with knowingly endangering life by setting fire to property. Lemon was denied bail and remains in custody.

Serfontein said it was fortunate no one had been injured in the latest fires.

The fires had a serious effect on families who had lost their means of transportation, he said.