To be attributed to Sergeant Dale Smith of the Nelson Bays Tactical Crime Unit
A man who stole more than $200,000 worth of jewellery, mainly from residential homes across the Nelson Bays and Tasman area has been arrested.
Christopher Payne, 38, was located late yesterday afternoon in Tötara Flats, near Greymouth, after being spotted by a passing Police patrol car around 2.30pm.
After spotting a car that was recognised as one used in a burglary in Motueka in the early hours of Friday May 25, Police followed the car before the driver pulled over.
Two men fled from the car on foot onto a rural property.
A Police dog team located them on the rural property and the pair were arrested.
Payne was wanted by Police on four warrants to arrest for 19 burglaries in the Nelson Bays area since January, in which more than $200,000 jewellery was taken.
He also faces two drugs related charges.
Payne is due to appear in the Greymouth District Court on June 13.
The driver of the car, Daniel Taaffe, had a warrant for arrest in April for breaching his conditions.
Yesterday 36-year-old Taaffe was charged with four counts of burglary in May – two in Nelson Bays, one in Greymouth and another in Hokitika, as well as failing to stop and dangerous driving.
Taaffe is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on June 18.
The arrests come as a huge relief to Police and to the men’s victims across the Nelson Bays and Tasman area.
“The jewellery stolen by Payne included items of great sentimental value, some of which had belonged to victims’ deceased family members,” says Sergeant Smith.
“The burglaries have had a huge impact on people who have lost items they may never see again, and victims have been appreciative of the work done by Police.
“It’s pleasing that we have been able to hold these offenders to account, thanks to the great work by Nelson Bays Police, and by Greymouth Police who arrested the pair,” says Sergeant Smith.
A lot of the jewellery has not been recovered.
If you think you might be a victim of theft Police encourages anyone to contact their local Police station. If you see a crime being committed call 111 in the first instance.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre