Police have made a number of significant arrests this week following offending at businesses across Auckland last month.
Operation Dusk was launched to investigate a series of aggravated robberies at businesses, including jewellery stores, across the region.
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, Auckland City CIB, says Police have executed seven search warrants over the last five days.
Three arrests made in regards to Hillsborough incident
“[Yesterday], our teams executed a search warrant at a residential address in Glendene where a 17-year-old was arrested in relation to an aggravated robbery at a Hillsborough bar on Thursday 25 April.
“He has appeared in the Waitākere Youth Court today charged with aggravated robbery and unlawfully getting into a stolen vehicle.
“A 12-year-old was also located at the address today and arrested in relation to an unrelated matter.
“A second 17-year-old had previously been arrested in relation to this incident and has since been charged with aggravated robbery.”
Four arrested over aggravated robbery at Newmarket jewellery store
Police are continuing to make enquiries into a number of other instances and have been holding those believed to be involved to account.
Detective Inspector Baldwin says three people aged between 17 and 18 have since been charged in relation to the brazen incident on Friday 12 April.
“A fourth person, aged 14, has since been referred to Youth Aid.”
The Operation Dusk team are actively making enquiries into this matter and are continuing to seek further people believed to be involved.
Arrest made in Manurewa jewellery store aggravated robbery
Police have referred a 14-year-old to Youth Aid regarding an alleged aggravated robbery at a jewellery store in Manurewa.
Detective Inspector Baldwin says the team are following positive lines of enquiry to locate others in relation to this incident.
Enquiries ongoing into other incidents
“I am proud of the progress the team has made thus far and they continue to work hard to hold offenders to account for this awful and alarming series of offending,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.
“Further arrests are anticipated, as the team continues to assess and analyse evidence seized during a number of search warrants that have been executed.”
Enquiries into incidents in St Lukes, Onehunga, and a second incident in Newmarket remain ongoing and we are confident of further arrests in due course.
Police will continue to be visible in and around shopping malls across the region.
“To date, our teams have conducted hundreds of patrols and are visible in our communities.
“The community deserves better than to be subject to this concerning and unacceptable incidents and we hope the work our team has executed to date is an example that we are taking this type of crime seriously,” he says.
