Police in Hastings are concerned about a spate of break-ins at Hastings businesses, with fires also lit inside several of the buildings.
The burglaries happened over Labour weekend and this week, including at the Heinz-Wattie's factory, and a building believed to be the new Bunnings store near central Hastings.
Senior Constable Damon Horrocks linked them to a third burglary at an undisclosed food retailer, which was "what you might call just a normal burglary of breaking into a place to steal things".
Mr Horrocks said two offenders are believed to be responsible.
"There's a distinct link between these two offenders doing that and now the fact that they're also going into places and lighting fires," he said.
"With the potential for the fire to create significant damage, that's just a far more serious scenario for us."
