Statement attributable to Inspector Matt Broderick, Acting Area Commander Hawke's Bay
Help from the public is sought to locate an M4 Bushmaster rifle magazine that was lost following the execution of the search warrant in Napier today.
Napier Police were executing a search warrant at an address in Trinity Crescent, Napier and during the initial stages of the operation Police were carrying firearms. At the conclusion of the search warrant an officer inadvertently placed the rifle magazine on the roof of his patrol car and drove towards Hastings. The magazine, containing ammunition, has fallen from the car roof.
Police are asking that should anybody find the magazine that they return it to the nearest police station. Alternatively they can call 111 and local Police will recover it.
The magazine is described as curved black plastic shape containing ammunition.
The error is regrettable and should not have occurred. As is commonplace following incidents like this, Police have begun a policy, practice and procedure review of the incident and while this is subject to that review Police is unable to comment further.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre