Waitemata Police have, over the past month, arrested half a dozen students for either using or making forged driver licences and are encouraging possibly hundreds of others to surrender their false documents.
After discovering five North Shore students who were using the plausible forged licences that put their ages at 18 or over, Police initiated an investigation which last Monday saw 17 year-old Cambodian student Marcus Lim arrested and charged with forgery.
His computer was seized and Police are now in possession of a database of hundreds of names of people who are understood to have obtained a forged driver's licence.
"We are encouraging them to come to their local Police station or to contact the investigation team in order to hand the document over," Detective Sergeant James Watson says.
"It is illegal to use a forged document for any purpose."
Many of those who paid the $100 for the forged licences were located by Police over the past week. Those who were fully cooperative and whose only intention was to use the forgery to enter licensed premises were formally cautioned.
They are almost exclusively 17 year old students from up to 15 schools in the Auckland region. Those who are uncooperative or who have perhaps more sinister motives are still being investigated with a view to prosecution.
Marcus Lim was remanded on bail and is due to reappear in the North Shore District Court on November 30.
Officers from the North Shore Crime Control Unit who are investigating the forgeries can be contacted on 0800 243 892.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz