Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Police

Police lights, sirens, ACTION!

What:     Unveiling of a decommissioned patrol car upcycled as a mini cinema for watching ‘Ride Along’.
Who:      Commissioner Richard Chambers, the cast of Ride Along Vlog and members of Police Recruitment
Why:      To recruit more police officers
Where:   The Roxy Cinema, 5 Park Road, Miramar, Wellington 6022
When:    Saturday 2 August from 10am.
• 10am -11.45am – Recruitment event and media opportunity
• 12.15pm – Fundraiser showing of ‘Fantastic Four’ movie.
How:      Big Buddy is fundraising and selling cinema tickets for a 12.15pm showing of Fantastic Four after the media event. Ticket holders will be invited to arrive from 11am to view and check out the car cinema. At 11.45am ticket holders will take their seats in the cinema. Buy tickets here:  https://event.auctria.com/e89a8c28-4700-4b8a-80fa-06f101ff1941/

Media RSVP: media@police.govt.nz (If you’re attending please arrive at the venue by 10am for photo and interview opportunities.)

Commissioner Richard Chambers will be hosting the event alongside Constables Jake, Sophia, Steven, and Jess – the four officers who feature in the New Zealand Police vlog, Ride Along.

Commissioner Chambers says “New Zealand Police relaunched popular vlog series, Ride Along, as part of the D500 recruitment campaign in March 2025.

The series is an entertaining but real insight into policing and follows four constables and their day-to-day lives on the job.

Many officers tell me they were inspired to apply because of the original series of Ride Along.  Since its re-launch, over 1.5M people have viewed it and our New Zealand Police YouTube followers have increased more than 5k.

We will continue to ramp up our recruitment efforts for this programme of work and applicant numbers remain strong,” says Commissioner Chambers.

All Ride Along cast will attend the launch and will be part of the recruitment campaign which runs from 10am. Come along and meet our ‘stars’.

The mini cinema will feature at other recruitment events across the country soon.

In June 2025 Police received 643 applications to become a constabulary officer. This is almost two thirds higher than the average levels over the same month in the preceding three years.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the person who died following a crash in South Wairarapa on Saturday 26 July.

She was 71-year-old Beverly Anne Varney, from Featherston.

Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

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Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can confirm one person has died following a crash in South Wairarapa earlier today.

The two-vehicle crash on Bidwills Cutting Road at the intersection with Cross Line was reported just after 11am.

One person died at the scene, a second person sustained moderate injuries.

The road remains closed and diversions are in place.

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Issued by the Police Media Centre.

Source: New Zealand Police

Attributable to Inspector Renee Perkins, Kāpiti Mana Area Commander

A Kāpiti man is before the court facing charges related to counterfeit banknotes and shoplifting.

Police received multiple reports of shoplifting and theft from across Wellington where a man had allegedly used counterfeit cash to purchase items from commercial retailers.

Kāpiti Mana Police executed a search warrant at a Paraparaumu address resulting in the arrest of a 32-year-old man.

During the search warrant, Police located a firearm and several items believed to have been purchased with counterfeit banknotes.

This is a great outcome for the many retailers across Wellington who have suffered because of counterfeit cash.

It is also a great result to remove a firearm from circulation in our community.

The 32-year-old man appeared in Porirua District Court today, facing two charges of possessing forged banknotes, two counts of using forged documents, shoplifts over $1,000, and shoplifts under $500.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Masterton Police are taking action against unlawful hunters, with a number of people before the courts facing charges relating to illegal poaching activity.

A man was taken into custody after a search warrant was executed at a Masterton address on Wednesday 16 July, where firearms and cannabis were located and seized from the property.

Wairarapa Area Commander, Inspector Nick Thom, says staff located and seized three firearms, as well as cannabis plants from the address.

Wairarapa-based prevention staff were assisted by the Tactical Crime Unit, Offender Prevention Teams and a drone operator.

The man, aged 50, is due to appear in the Masterton District Court on Monday 4 August, charged with unlawful possession of non-prohibited firearms, cultivating cannabis and unlawful hunting.

A second man, aged 44, was also at the property at the time and arrested on an unrelated matter.

He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the Huntly District Court on 15 August, charged with kidnapping and indecent assault.

Further instances of unlawful hunting in the Wairarapa

This week’s arrest comes off the back of the good work that the Wairarapa Rural team have been doing to hold poachers accountable for their offending.

“Poaching is a significant issue for our rural communities, and is often under-reported. Poaching has real effects on the community and any offenders will face real-world consequences,” Inspector Thom says.

Two other people have been arrested and charged with unlawful hunting in the Wairarapa region in recent months.

In April a 29-year-old man was arrested and charged with unlawful hunting, he is set to reappear in Masterton District Court on 24 July.

This was followed by a 30-year-old man being arrested and charged with unlawful hunting and possessing a firearm without a license. He is set to reappear in the Masterton District Court on 24 July.

Firearms from both men were seized in warrants that led to their arrests.

“This should serve as a reminder that people should not be shooting from vehicles or targeting deer on private land.

“People must have a firearms license and get permission to hunt prior to going out to do so. You can expect to face enforcement action if you are found to be breaching these rules,” Inspector Thom says.

To help Police identify and hold poachers accountable, we ask anybody to report suspicious behaviour to us, including suspicious vehicles or people in your local area, as this could be the piece of the puzzle we need in our investigation.

If it is happening now, call 111. If you are reporting information after the fact, call 105 or go online.

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Issued by Police Media Centre
 

Source: New Zealand Police

To be attributed to Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, Acting Field Crime Manager Waitematā:

A woman has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child, after a toddler was located in a suitcase in a bus luggage compartment this afternoon.

Police were called at 12.50pm, after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment during a planned stop in Kaiwaka.

The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving. When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.

The little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed. She was transported to hospital, where she remains, undergoing an extensive medical assessment.

A 27-year-old woman was arrested and has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child. She is scheduled to appear in North Shore District Court on 4 August.

We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome.

Police enquiries into this incident are ongoing and further charges cannot be ruled out. Oranga Tamariki has also been notified.
 

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Issued by Police Media Centre. 

Source: New Zealand Police

Two people have serious injuries after a head-on crash on the Northern Motorway at Wainui this morning.

One of the vehicles involved was a stolen Toyota Aqua that was being tracked by the Police Eagle helicopter. Moments before the crash, the driver entered the Northern Motorway at the Wainui off-ramp and drove against the flow of traffic. 

“The car travelled roughly 50 metres before it collided with an unsuspecting member of the public, who’s effectively had no time to react,” Inspector Danny Meade said.

The crash happened about 6.20am and led to a two-hour-long closure of the motorway.

The vehicle being tracked had been stolen from a Constellation Drive address overnight and was spotted in Westgate about 5.35am. Eagle located the car and kept watch as it drove along State Highway 18 and onto the Northern Motorway.

“Near Oteha Valley Road, Police signalled to the driver to stop, but the vehicle’s allegedly fled at speed. Units haven’t pursued, but Eagle kept tracking the car, relaying its movements through a subdivision in Wainui.

“While officers on the ground were preparing spike strips, the driver, for some unknown reason, entered the motorway in the wrong direction.

“It is incredible that nobody died.”

The Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination and the motorway reopened about 8.15am.

Inspector Meade said the investigation into the crash was ongoing and both drivers were being treated in hospital.

Charges are being considered against the youth alleged to have been driving.

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Issued by the Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Location:

Source: New Zealand Police

Two officers patrolling in Northcote overnight have uncovered a stash of ammunition, drugs and a gun.

Just before 1am, officers stopped a BMW travelling along Ocean View Road.

Waitematā East Area Prevention Manager, Acting Inspector Tim Williams, says a search of the vehicle was invoked and a loaded sawn-off shotgun was located in the driver’s footwell.

“A further search has located about 50 rounds of ammunition and a number of bags of methamphetamine.

“Drug use takes a huge toll on our local communities and can lead to other offending.

“Recovering the drugs and a dangerous weapon, as well as the ammunition, is a great result.”

A 22-year-old man will appear in North Shore District Court today charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine and possession of utensils.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the woman who died following a crash on State Highway 3, Te Mapara on Friday 11 July.

She was Nateisha-Kurstyn Hana-Wetere, 23, of New Plymouth.

Police extend sympathies to Nateisha-Kurstyn’s family and friends.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre