‘Bizarre’ theft report results in arrests

A bizarre report of theft in Mahora, Hastings, resulted in both the informant and suspect being put into handcuffs.

The report of offending began with a 111 call at 2.15am on Tuesday, when a concerned Williams Street resident noticed a balaclava-clad man with a butcher’s knife allegedly stealing plants from the property.

Equally concerned, officers wasted no time locating the suspect, walking away from a green waste bin into which the shrubbery had been unceremoniously stuffed.

The stolen-then-abandoned bush turned out to be a massive cannabis plant, “the size of a big Christmas tree”.

As the alleged offender was transported back to the station, officers went to speak with the informant who reported the theft. At the address, Police found enough to trigger a search warrant.

With the property locked down, officers located several other cannabis plants, buds and seeds inside the address, and several more plants in the backyard.

To add to the informants woes, they lost a second lot of cannabis after Police confiscated the remaining plants, buds and seeds back to the station.

A 35-year-old man being charged with aggravated burglary and will appear in the Hastings District Court on 26 March, while the 33-year-old informant was arrested for cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis utensils.

Enquiries are continuing.