Two teenagers were quickly apprehended after an early morning burglary at the Devonport Ferry Terminal.
Police were contacted at around 6.10am on Tuesday.
“Two males were reported to have allegedly forced open a roller door at a convenience store within the ferry terminal,” Waitematā East Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant CJ Miles says.
“They both made off with various products from inside the store.
“Units deployed into the Devonport area, with a dog handler quickly on the scent and tracking the pair down.”
Senior Sergeant Miles says the two males, aged 13 and 15, were both taken into custody without further incident.
The 15-year-old male will appear today in the North Shore Youth Court on a burglary charge, with the second male being referred to Youth Aid.
Police are appealing to the public for information following the theft of an Olympic gold medal in Christchurch on Monday 2 February.
The medal was won by rowing legend, Leslie O’Connell at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was stolen during a burglary at Mr O’Connell’s Strowan address.
On Monday 2 February, around 9.50am, Police received a report of burglary at the address, which had occurred at some point after midnight that same day.
Detective Nigel Thomson says a number of items were taken during the burglary, but the gold medal holds immense personal and sentimental value to Mr O’Connell.
“The Olympic gold medal is a significant piece of New Zealand sporting history, and is irreplaceable for Mr O’Connell.
“We understand that Olympic medals are often difficult to sell and are frequently recognised once publicly reported.
“For that reason, Police are urging anyone who has information on the medal’s whereabouts to please come forward.
“If you are in possession of the medal – we urge you to return this immediately and without damage,” Detective Thomson says.
The medal can be returned anonymously through either of the below options:
– Dropped off to any Police station
– Through a trusted third party who can arrange delivery to Police
Anyone with information that may assist Police, or who wishes to facilitate the return of the medal, is asked to contact Police through 105, either online or over the phone, and reference file number 260202/5563.
Information can also be provided through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Ryan Kemsley of Hawke’s Bay Crime Squad:
A homicide investigation has been launched after a man assaulted outside a Napier nightclub last week has died.
Police can name the victim as Andy Winitana, 46, of Hastings.
He died in hospital on Tuesday 3 February, after he had sustained injuries during an assault around 1am on Sunday on West Quay in Ahuriri outside a premises.
We extend our sympathies to his family, who we will continue to support.
A 21-year-old man has appeared before Napier District Court on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and has been remanded in custody.
Further charges are now being considered. He is next due to appear in Napier District Court on 25 February.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident on the wharf area on West Quay between 12.30-1.30am on Sunday 1 February.
We would also like to hear from anyone who might have footage available.
Please contact us online at 105.police.govt.nz, or call 105, and use the reference number 260201/1791.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police have launched an investigation after the discovery of a body at a worksite on Taihape Road, Omahu, earlier today.
Staff were called to the scene about 9.10am after a body was located on the property.
The circumstances of how the person came to be there, and how they died, are unclear, and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.
Police will now work to identify the person and to establish the circumstances surrounding their death.
A scene examination will be carried out, as well as a post mortem examination. Cordons are currently in place at the address.
Anyone with information about this incident or anyone believed to be involved can get in touch through our 105 service, quoting reference number 260203/9739.
You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
An updated Code of Conduct will strengthen integrity across the Public Sector, Public Service Minister Judith Collins says.
“New Zealanders expect the people that serve them to act with the highest integrity, accountability and professionalism,” Ms Collins says.
“The newCode of Conduct for the Public Sectorresets those expectations and provides clear guidance to public servants.”
The Code is based around the public service values and builds on existing expectations about integrity and conduct. It also introduces new standards to address key findings from the 2025Public Service Census,including merit-based appointments, workplace culture and respectful behaviour.
“Integrity requires strong leadership, sound judgement, and workplace cultures where people feel safe to speak up and do what is right – especially when no one is watching,” Ms Collins said.
“To support this, the Public Service Commission is introducing required training on the updated Code of Conduct and General Election Guidance – which covers how public servants must act before, during, and after an election.
“We’re fixing the basics so New Zealanders have a system that is not only effective, but exemplary – one that consistently serves the public interest and appropriately uses the powers entrusted to it.”
The updatedCode of Conduct for the Public Sectoris now available on the Public Service Commission website. Integrity learning resources will be available on the Leadership Development Centre in March 2026, when the Code takes effect.
Waikato Police investigating a burglary reported on Monday morning have arrested two people after recovering the stolen vehicle and personal belongings.
The burglary was reported to Police around 10.30am on Monday after the occupants of a residential property in Tamahere had come back from a walk. When they returned, they saw the home had been broken into, with their vehicle and belongings stolen.
Investigators from the Waikato Tactical Crime Unit attended the incident and quickly identified a local address of interest.
Further assistance was provided by recently installed CCTV cameras within the Tamahere Village including Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), which identified the suspect and stolen vehicle.
Upon searching the address, Police located the missing belongings in a separate vehicle parked at the rear of the property and spoke with people at the house.
The stolen vehicle was identified in several thefts in Te Rapa later that night and fled Police before crashing into a fence. Two people were taken into custody.
A 29-year-old woman and 34-year-old man will appear in the Hamilton District Court today for breaching court release conditions. Further charges will follow in relation to dishonesty offending.
Investigation into the burglary continues.
Police urge residents to consider prevention measures they can take to keep their homes safe from being a target for burglary. Home security systems, community CCTV, motion activated lights and secured windows and doors are some good measures.
To imagine how healthy and abundant New Zealand forests could be, we don’t have to travel back in time; we can look to the many predator-free islands across the country for inspiration.
In this story, we journey to Whenua Hou/Codfish Island at the bottom of Te Waipounamu/the South Island to find out why it’s one of the most coveted wildlife sanctuaries in the country and how it is inspiring efforts to protect and restore native species nearby on Rakiura/Stewart Island.
Campbell Island teal thriving on Whenua Hou. Photo credit: Leon Everett
There are 110 predator-free islands in New Zealand, and more than 30 of them lie just offshore from Rakiura. This includes Whenua Hou, which is home to the largest population of the critically endangered kākāpō, along with other extremely rare birds including mohua/yellowhead, kuaka/Whenua Hou diving petrel, mātātā/fernbird and tūtukiwi/snipe.
Although Whenua Hou is off-limits to the public to help protect threatened wildlife, DOC and Ngāi Tahu have been working there for decades, largely to support and study kākāpō and prevent rats from re-invading.
As we are working to eradicate rats, feral cats and possums on Rakiura, we asked two experienced conservationists to describe the eco-system on Whenua Hou and how it compares to Rakiura National Park which is just three kilometres east of the island.
‘We are Whenua Hou, Whenua Hou is us’
Tāne shows how his ancestors on Whenua Hou harvested tōtara bark to make poha – kelp bags used to store tītī/muttonbirds birds for kai.
Whenua Hou was the first place in the south where European men – mostly sealers – and Ngāi Tahu women lived together. It was also an important place for Ngāi Tahu voyagers who used to stop there on the way to the Tītī Islands to harvest tītī/muttonbirds.
Tāne Davis is one of the descendants of these inhabitants, and as a child, he remembers seeing the island’s mighty tōtara from his father’s boat on the way to the Tītī Islands to catch crayfish.
“I used to wonder what was there… and my mother used to say, ‘Ko mātou ko Whenua Hou, ko Whenua Hou ko mātou’. We are Whenua hou, Whenua hou is us.”
Left to right: Ngāi Tahu Carver James York, Ngāi Tahu Fund Chair Suzanne Ellison, Mahri Batey, Leanda Davis, Jane Davis, Tane Davis. Pictured with Te Pou Nehera
Tāne first stepped foot on Whenua Hou 25 years ago, not long after it became predator free, with DOC and Ngāi Tahu working together to eradicate pacific rats/kiore in 1998 and possums in 1986.
Tāne has since had a vital role in the management of the island as the chair of the Ngāi Tahu Whenua Hou Komiti and the Ngāi Tahu representative for the Kākāpō Recovery Programme.
“You don’t have to look hard to see the changes. Whenua Hou has become a safe haven for taonga species, and the forest has regenerated quite quickly from possum browsing.”
This work has paved the way for kākāpō to potentially have their biggest breeding season on record this year.
It has also helped to create opportunities for Ngāi Tahu descendants to return and re-affirm their whakapapa connections on Whenua Hou. This included the establishment of three pou in 2017 to tell the story of the island’s human history and preserve it for generations to come.
“You can feel the presence of our tīpuna on the island, and we feel a sense of belonging and the responsibility as kaitiaki.”
Tāne has great belief in the vision for Rakiura to become predator-free, and the benefits this will have for all people connected to the island.
“Whenua Hou is like a role model for Rakiura. We’ve got to utilise these achievements on a larger scale.”
An island heaving with wildlife
DOC scientist, Graeme Elliott using an aerial and a receiver to find kākāpō that have transmitters attached to them. Photo supplied
DOC scientist, Graeme Elliott, has spent most of his life studying New Zealand’s wildlife, including kākāpō on Whenua Hou.
“My first visit was in 1995. We often slept in tents and there was a constant chatter of seabirds, but we also stayed in the hut next to this stunning white sand beach.”
He says when visiting Whenua Hou, nature is no longer a spectacle that you’re searching for, but you’re living amongst it and interacting with it at every moment – it’s naturing at its finest.
“When you go outside the hut, the forest is heaving with birds. There’s a little duck or a kākāpō wandering around, and tītī nesting underneath the deck.
“Without deer and possums, the forest has grown dense and luscious, making it difficult to get around. There are kākā and kererū everywhere, along with big flocks of mohua, brown creeper, kākāriki and riflemen.”
On summer nights, Graeme says you can hear hundreds of thousands of petrels flying over the forest as they come ashore to breed.
“Their colonies on the island are a bit whiffy but their poop acts as an incredible natural fertiliser. Big parts of the island are porous with lots of holes made by burrowing petrels. Most of New Zealand used to be covered in seabird burrows once upon a time.”
Check out the diversity of wildlife in this gallery of images captured by DOC volunteer Archer Tern during a trip to Whenua Hou last year.
Rakiura could become like a huge version of Whenua Hou
Whenua Hou is a fair comparison to Stewart Island regarding its landscape as they are nearly identical, but just on a smaller scale, Graeme says.
“The type of vegetation is similar as well, with rimu, totara, kahikatea, rātā, and miro. But the bird life is vastly different. Forest birds are so uncommon on Rakiura, and the damage caused by pests and predators is visible all over the place.”
Oban township, which has more bird life than other parts of Rakiura, gives a false impression of what life is like in the forest, he says.
“This is likely because regular trapping has occurred in the area for many years. Oban is also in close vicinity to Ulva Island, which is predator free and hosts a range of native species, some of which have large home ranges and will travel around the township.
“Oban also has a variety of urban food sources for birds like kākā, kererū and tui that are not available elsewhere on the island, such as exotic fruit trees.”
When you get out into Rakiura National Park, Graeme says there’s a shocking absence of sound and forest health is poor in comparison to Whenua Hou.
“We have feral cats eating birds, rats hoarding and eating seeds and eggs, deer eating plants and saplings on the ground, and possums stripping the new shoots and leaves off trees like Southern Rātā which thins out the canopy. It’s so still in places that you can hear a single fly buzzing when the bird noise should be dominant.”
Honouring the legacy of Solstice
Solstice on her third nest in 2019 on Whenua Hou. She sadly died of an infection last year after battling cloacitis. Credit: Andrew Digby
Graeme and Tāne have dedicated much of their lives to protecting te taiao – the natural world. They both dream of seeing Rakiura become New Zealand’s largest wildlife sanctuary yet.
“It’s desperately needed for our threatened species, especially for kākāpō, which are nearly at capacity on Whenua Hou, so they can grow their population,” Graeme says.
This was reinforced recently with the passing of Solstice, who was the last kākāpō to be found and rescued on Stewart Island in 1997. She was one of the female founders of the modern population and has 27 descendants.
“Solstice was a matriarch for the species,” Tāne says.
“Her legacy is one of desperate survival and hope for future generations. We can honour her by enabling her mokopuna to return home to Rakiura and fill the forests with their booming calls once again.”
The rollout of delivering healthcare closer to home for six rural communities in Golden Bay, Tūrangi, Twizel, Te Kūiti, Coromandel and Great Barrier Island has been completed, marking the first phase of strengthening urgent and after-hours care across 70 rural locations, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
“Access to healthcare is one of the biggest concerns for people in rural and remote areas. Our Government is committed to ensuring New Zealanders can get the care they need, when they need it, no matter where they live,” Mr Doocey says.
Budget 2025 invested $164 million to strengthen urgent and after-hours care nationwide, meaning 98 per cent of New Zealanders will be able to access these services within one hour’s drive of their home.
Services were piloted in Twizel, Golden Bay, Tūrangi, Te Kūiti, Coromandel and Great Barrier Island, helping shape the design of rural health services for up to 70 locations.
“People in rural areas can often travel long distances for care and rely on small teams supporting large regions. Already, the first phase shows the difference locally led approaches can make, with faster care, better access to treatment, and stronger links between rural health services.”
Across the six sites, several improvements have been implemented, including:
Point-of-care blood testing is available at all locations, allowing clinicians to run key tests immediately without waiting for samples to be transported or sending people to hospital.
Point-of-care ultrasound has been introduced across all sites, with sixteen rural clinicians trained to use the equipment, supporting faster decision-making and reducing hospital transfers.
Improved access to after-hours medicines, with Tūrangi and Twizel now providing on-call pharmacy services through telehealth and local pharmacists.
Expanded ambulance support, including 24/7 coverage in Twizel over the holiday period, with work underway with Hato Hone St John on long-term options for the Mackenzie District.
Integrated rural urgent care workforce models, with Extended Care Paramedics now working within local teams in Golden Bay and Great Barrier Island, strengthening urgent care capacity and easing pressure on small practices.
“This year, an additional 30 rural locations will have their services strengthened. This will include expanding point-of-care testing and ultrasound, improving access to after-hours medicines, and scaling integrated paramedic support,” Mr Doocey says.
“The results from the first six sites show what’s possible when rural providers are supported to design solutions that work for their communities. The momentum from this first phase will help strengthen urgent and after-hours care for years to come.”
This builds on work underway to strengthen the rural health workforce, including rural training hubs and the new medical school at the University of Waikato.
