SCENE OF THE CRIME: The inside of the Tender Centre damaged by fire on Saturday morning.

A 24-year-old man arrested after a crime spree across Nelson city allegedly tried to start a light plane at Nelson Airport using a screwdriver.

Earlier, the man allegedly set fire to towing business the Tender Centre in Vanguard St, destroying 31 vehicles, early on Saturday.

The Tender Centre owner believed he had towed the man's vehicle last week.

The spree began when police were alerted to a suspicious fire at storage units off Nayland Rd in Stoke shortly before 1am on Saturday. The building suffered minor damage.

At 1.30am, police were called to the larger fire at the Vanguard St building.

Four hours later, a car was reversed through the front doors of the Public Trust building in Buxton Square.

Then at 5.45am, police were called to suspicious activity at Nelson Airport, where a man was arrested. He was due to appear in the Nelson District Court today.

Sounds Air pilot Mike Marchant said the man allegedly got into a Sounds Air plane and tried to start it.

"He did the old screwdriver into the ignition trick. But there is a bit more to starting it."

Mr Marchant said the plane was damaged, and the ignition had to be replaced. The plane was unable to be flown on Saturday. The man also allegedly wrecked a lifejacket in the plane.

Mr Marchant said he was at the airport when police alerted him to the drama. "[The suspect] got picked up at or near the airport."

The Sounds Air plane was outside the hangar when it was broken into.

Mr Marchant said it was fortunate that the man did not manage to start the plane.

"There are a few other switches and things you have to do.

"He wasn't too far away from getting it going. He obviously didn't know what he was doing. If he had got it going, it would've been a bit of a serious situation."

Nelson Airport general manager Kaye McNabb said airport management was very concerned about any illegal entry on to the airport grounds.

The affected plane was a scheduled passenger plane, meaning any break-in put lives at risk and disrupted an airline's schedule, she said.

"We will be looking to Civil Aviation to see what they are going to do about it."

Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Steve Greally said it was good that nobody was killed or seriously injured.

The offending was at the higher end of the spectrum, with the actions at the airport "particular disturbing".

"That sort of offending is extremely serious."

The man's mental status was being assessed, he said.

He has been charged with two counts of arson, relating to the Stoke and Vanguard St fires, two counts of burglary, two counts of intentional damage, and unlawfully interfering with an aircraft.

Tender Centre owner Neville Frost said his workshop, which housed 31 vehicles, was completely destroyed in the blaze.

Mr Frost said he was out with police on another job when he was told of the blaze.

He arrived back in a state of shock to see his business on fire.

He said he believed he towed the man's car last week, and that it was possibly stored in the Stoke building which was also damaged by fire.

Mr Frost said it was too early to know whether the Vanguard St building could be salvaged. He was now working out of a shed.

The Tender Centre, also known as Frosty's Towing, does work for the police and insurance firms. It is at the rear of the Vehicle Testing NZ building, but a firewall between the two businesses meant that building suffered only minor damage in the blaze.

VTNZ station manager Keith Barker said the vehicle testing station reopened at 10am on Saturday, after police and fire investigators allowed staff back.