Police have released a list of the six most wanted people in the Bay in a bid to find them before Christmas.
Intelligence analyst Naomi Luckett said the offenders all had outstanding warrants to arrest and should not be approached.
Police tactical response manager for the Western Bay of Plenty, Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair, said the six topped the "most wanted" list because they were the people who "we are most actively seeking for those matters and potential other matters".
Mr Wright-St Clair said people with outstanding warrants, like the six featured, should hand themselves in before the festive season kicked in.
Increased staff numbers throughout the popular holiday destination during the next few weeks could actually make it harder for people to hide, he said.
He said alcohol checkpoints and wider summer police activities often turned up people on the police most wanted list - and Christmas was the worst time of year to be caught.
"I would recommend these people come in and give themselves up before Christmas. If they wait until we find them, it's highly likely that they will be spending Christmas and New Year in custody. We ask them to come forward now, while the courts are still open," Mr Wright-St Clair said.
He said he was unable to comment further on the local list for operational reasons. "It's unfortunate but we've got a duty to apprehend these people and this is one of the tactics that we feel has provided very good results in the past."
He said police made the most of all available agencies, such as the Inland Revenue Department, Housing New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development, Immigration and the Department of Corrections to track down those on the run.
In the past, publishing the most-wanted list has sparked debate but police defend it as a means of finding people on outstanding warrants.
If you have information on these people call the police on (07) 577 4300 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
All police want for Christmas are these fugitives
