Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, January 17, 2023
The last week has been exceptionally busy for the Waikato Police with some major headways in bringing matters under control and some positive news for the community at large as apprehensions around increasing crime continue.
In another major incident yesterday, 16 January, 2023, Five youths were arrested in the early hours of the morning in Hamilton following the theft of several vehicles and a fleeing driver incident.
The youths were located after a member of the public reported two vehicles acting suspiciously on Ōhaupō Road, near Ōhaupō. One of the vehicles, confirmed to have been stolen, was abandoned by the occupants after it hit a barrier.
The group continued on in another suspected stolen vehicle which was spiked on Ōhaupō Road, Glenview at about 4.30 am.
The vehicle continued on until it came to a stop a short time later on Kahikatea Drive, Frankton. Four offenders were taken into custody without incident. A fifth attempted to flee the scene but was quickly apprehended.
Police located the vehicle and found hammers, a Machete and a bag of coins inside the vehicle.
Detective Senior Sergeant Terri Wilson said “We want to thank the public for their ongoing assistance in reporting these matters and suspicious activity to Police. We know that vehicle thefts are extremely concerning for our community. Police are committed to ensuring that those responsible for crimes such as this will be held to account.”
All five youths appeared on a range of charges in the Hamilton Youth Court yesterday.
It is an example of how effective law enforcement can be when members of the public are willing to provide information and support. By working together, we can ensure that our communities remain safe and secure.
Police would also like to remind the public to immediately report anything of concern to the Police by calling 111.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink correspondent based in Hamilton.
