Police updates on crimes and investigations for the morning of 18 June 2022.
Stolen bikes recovered in Wellington
Police recovered five stolen bikes from a Wellington property on Thursday, as a result of ongoing efforts to target this type of offending in the district.
Three bikes have already been reunited with their rightful owner and Police are working to identify who the other two bikes belong to.
‘This is a great result for our staff and our communities. It is great to be able to contact a victim of a high value burglary and inform them that we have recovered their stolen items,’ Wellington Tactical Crime Unit Detective Jason Gore.
Further to yesterday’s result, staff recovered three e-bikes, a mountain bike, two motorbikes and a stolen vehicle last week.
A 24-year-old man is facing charges in relation to receiving stolen property.
These results reflect the commitment of our staff to investigate all matters reported and we will continue to recover stolen property where possible.
We rely on the public to be our eyes and ears, and ask anyone who sees any suspicious activity, including an excessive amount of bikes at a private address, or a person carrying tools such as grinders or bolt cutters near bike racks, to report it to us.
Often these thefts are occurring in broad daylight, so please if you notice anything out of the ordinary report it to Police immediately.
A key focus for Police is preventing crime from happening in the first place.
‘It’s important to ensure your bike is locked, placed in a brightly lit and public area, and you have taken note of the serial number,’ said Gore.
‘The 529 Garage (free bike registration service)(link is external) was launched earlier this year by Canterbury Police and Christchurch City Council, and is a useful service for bike owners to enter their serial number, details of any identifying features, as well as photos of their bike.
‘Police would also like to remind the community to be cautious when buying or selling online and to trust your instincts – if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is and you should report it to Police.
‘We take burglary and theft incidents seriously, if you are in a situation where you feel unsafe, or you see something suspicious, call 111 immediately.’
To report a crime after it has happened, contact Police on 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
UPDATE – Incident – Hopetoun Bridge
Police can advise that the person critically injured after falling from the Hopetoun Bridge yesterday has sadly died.
Emergency services remained at the scene last night for some time.
Arrest following assault at bar in Queenstown
Queenstown Police have arrested and charged a man in relation to an assault at a bar on Church Street, Queenstown in the early hours of Sunday June 12th.
At around 12.50am on Sunday June 12th Police and Ambulance attended an incident in which a person had been found unconscious at a bar. The person was transported to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries.
Police enquiries have led to a 38 year old man being arrested and charged with assault. He will appear in Queenstown District Court in Monday 20th June.
The victim remains in Christchurch Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Dirt bikes seized in Whangārei search warrants
Police executed five search warrants and seized 10 dirt bikes as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt gang activity and curtail dangerous behaviour involving dirt bikes in Northland.
The warrants were executed this morning at addresses in Whangārei.
A 22-year-old man with gang associations has been charged in relation to the sale and supply of cannabis and is due to appear in the Whangārei District Court at a later date.
The investigation is on-going, and we cannot rule out further charges being laid.
‘Police are thankful for information the community provides and we encourage people to continue reporting dangerous dirt bike driving behaviour,’ said Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Dalzell, Northland CIB.
‘This risky and illegal behaviour not only puts their own safety at risk, but also the safety of other road users and pedestrians.
‘We want to reassure the community Police do take this offending seriously and we work hard to identify offenders and hold them to account.
‘Police also continue to welcome information from anyone who has concerns about organised crime, gang activity or the illegal possession of firearms in their community.’
They are encouraged to report online at 105.police.govt.nz, call Police on 105, or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
If it’s happening now please call 111.
Further firearms related arrest in Kaikohe
Northland Police continue to hold offenders to account as part of an ongoing focus on gang activity in the Kaikohe and mid North areas.
A 52-year-old male has been charged with unlawful possession of ammunition after a search warrant was executed at a Kaikohe address this morning.
He has appeared in the Kaikohe District Court and is next due to appear on 23 June, 2022.
Today’s arrest follows a series of arrests Northland Police have made in relation to firearms and gang related violence that has occurred in the Far North in recent months.
‘We are working hard to ensure we keep our community safe, and Police will continue to actively target those involved in criminal activity,’ Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Dalzell, Northland CIB.
‘Police welcome information from anyone who has concerns about organised crime, gang activity or the illegal possession of firearms in their community.’
They are encouraged to report online at 105.police.govt.nz, call Police on 105, or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org(link is external).
If it is happening now, please call 111.
