Police have halted an offender’s crime spree across some Northland communities, successfully remanding him in custody on a number of charges.
Northland Police had been making enquiries to locate the 17-year-old after being notified he was breaching EM bail on 3 May.
After enquiries had previously been unsuccessful, he was taken into custody yesterday morning after diligent work by local Police and the community.
Kaikohe Area Prevention Manager, Acting Senior Sergeant Greg Johnson, says the accused was on EM Bail at a Taheke address on for unrelated active charges.
“However on 3 May Police were alerted that he had let the battery of his electronically monitored tracker go flat.
“Police then received a report of a vehicle being broken into between 7pm on 9 May and 2pm on 10 May,
“The victim in this matter has had her vehicle parked on Gillies Street, Kawakawa and when she returned has found that it was entered via the driver’s door, with the ignition destroyed.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Johnson says on the same day, another vehicle was stolen from a hospital car park.
He says between 14-15 May the alleged lawbreaker committed a further six offences in the Kawakawa and Taheke areas.
“Then on Wednesday afternoon Police were notified of a stolen vehicle travelling on State Highway One on the wrong side of the road through Dome Forest.
“Police signalled for the driver to stop, however he has accelerated and driven recklessly, almost crashing into a number of other vehicles and causing motorists to take evasive action to avoid a crash.
“Due to the manner of driving the pursuit was abandoned, however in the early hours of yesterday morning Police caught the alleged offender attempting to steal a vehicle on Railway Road, Kawakawa.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Johnson says incidents like this are understandably concerning for the community and for Police.
“These offenders are putting the wider community at risk when they flee from Police.
“And targeting people’s modes of transport, and in hospital carparks, is a low act.
“Our message to those who choose to continue to engage in this offending is simple: You will be held to account.”
The 17-year-old has been remanded in custody and will reappear in Kaikohe Youth Court on 11 June.
ENDS.
Holly McKay/NZ Police