Man arrested after excavator torched at Lockleys, in third incident in a week

A man has been arrested after a third excavator fire in a week, with the construction industry saying replacements can take years to arrive.

A man has been charged after an excavator was torched in an alleged arson attack, the third such incident within the past week that frustrated the industry.

The man was arrested after excavator went up in flames just after 1.10am on Sunday at a house under demolition on Castlebar Rd, Lockleys.

Crews arrived to find the excavator was behind gates and well alight. They extinguished the fire, but the excavator was destroyed.

An excavator was destroyed by fire at a house demolition site in Lockleys Picture Dean Martin

Detectives later arrested a 50 year-old Morphett Vale man who was charged with arson and bailed to appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on June 7

It comes after two other excavator fires in the past week – one was destroyed in a deliberate fire at a Prospect school last Sunday, while another blaze in Findon closed surrounding roads for several hours.

Police have not yet confirmed if that second fire was suspicious.

An excavator was destroyed by fire at a house demolition site in Lockleys Picture Dean Martin

Police are investigating a late-night arson attack on an excavator at Rosary Primary School in Prospect. Picture: 7NEWS Adelaide

Civil Contractors Federation SA’s Chief Executive Rebecca Pickerings said the fires were frustrating because replacing heavy equipment can take up to “several months, and in some cases years from the date of ordered”.

“This can be a significant financial burden for the business that owns it, and may impact their ability to complete the related project on time or within budget,” Ms Pickering said.

Ms Pickering does not believe the recent incidences were caused by one person or group.

“This kind of destruction of property puts mobile plant operators in an impossible position, potential with no work, if a substitute excavator is not available.

“This affects not just the business, but its workers and their families.”

Meanwhile, in other police news, officers arrested a man tracked by police dog Cooper after a break-in at St Peters.

Just after 2am on Sunday, police were called to a park on Winchester Street after a reports of an angle grinder being used.

Patrols and PD Cooper found a council shipping container with tools inside had been broken into.

Police also discovered a suspicious van parked nearby.

Police dog PD Copper located a man in scrub, believe to be involved in a container break-in near Winchester Street. Picture: SA Police

PD Copper started tracking, pulling his handler along the Linear Park trail, south past the small swing bridge, the weir and the billabong to an area near the corner of Harrow Rd and Torrens St.

Shortly after a 34-year-old man from Bute appeared from the bushes and handed himself over to police.

He was arrested and charged with being unlawfully on premises, property damage and theft, and bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on July 4.

His van was also towed from the scene to be forensically examined.