Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong, Auckland City Police.
Police have charged five people who are believed to responsible for a spate of serious crimes across Auckland over the past two months.
Operation Sol, which began on 20 July, 2017 focused on a number of aggravated robberies, aggravated burglaries and ram raids at service stations, liquor stores and jewellery stores that appeared to have a number of common links.
Police have spoken to a number of persons of interest and executed several search warrants which has resulted in the arrests of four youths aged between 17 – 18-years , and the referral to Youth Aid Services of 15 year old . Enquiries are ongoing and Police are not ruling out further arrests and charges.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Armstrong says Operation Sol has brought together a large team of detectives that has resulted in a co-ordinated approach to serious crime across a large area, involving collaboration with investigations teams as far as Hamilton. Police take this kind of offending extremely seriously, and are willing to commit significant resources to apprehend those responsible.
We acknowledge the traumatic nature of these crimes and the devastating effect it has on victims, not only physically but emotionally too.
These violent crimes can cause significant financial loss and substantial inconvenience for our communities and the offenders’ actions have a ripple effect that flows onto the owners of vehicles that are often stolen to facilitate these crimes. They need to be stopped and held accountable for their actions.
Those arrested face a range of charges including aggravated robbery, unlawful taking, burglary, breach of supervision, aggravated burglary and escapes custody.
Police remind members of the public that we can’t do this alone. We must all work towards safer communities together and encourage anyone that sees suspicious activity to report it to Police immediately. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Monique Caddy/NZ Police