Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Spike in serious crime in Western Bay

By Sandra Conchie
Bay of Plenty Times·
26 Dec, 2013 12:27 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
CHRISTMAS EVE DRAMA: Armed offenders squad members and other police outside the Filthy Few Motorcycle Club headquarters in Birch Avenue on Tuesday.

CHRISTMAS EVE DRAMA: Armed offenders squad members and other police outside the Filthy Few Motorcycle Club headquarters in Birch Avenue on Tuesday.

A spike in serious crime in the Western Bay has prompted a warning from police about staying safe over the holidays.

There has been at least three home invasions in Tauranga in the past seven days, one of which required a victim to have an eye surgically removed.

Police also held an early morning raid at a gang headquarters in connection to one of the home invasions.

The latest home invasion was at 9.30pm on Sunday in Whakamarama.

Two people, aged 31 and 50, were at home when four masked people assaulted them.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

One of the victims' injuries were so severe, the person lost an eye.

Early on Christmas Eve armed police and members of the armed offenders squad raided the Filthy Few Motorcycle Club on Birch Ave.

Two men, aged 27 and 43 were arrested in relation to the invasion on Sunday and appeared in court later that day.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The pair were charged with aggravated burglary, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and injuring with intent to injure.

Western Bay area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton would not be drawn on the details of the attack, nor would he confirm the age of the more seriously injured victim, or whether a weapon was used.

"It is still very early days in our investigation and while two other people are outstanding I'm not prepared to go there," he said.

Mr Paxton confirmed the offenders and victims were known to each other.

Discover more

Police raid at gang pad

23 Dec 07:17 PM

Victim loses eye in home invasion

23 Dec 07:46 PM

Several items of interest were located during the armed raid, he said.

During the past week there have been at least two other home invasion attacks.

Last Wednesday, a man was stabbed in the back with a knife at a Papamoa Beach Rd address and barely two hours later there was an armed home invasion burglary in Miro St.

On Friday evening there was also a knifepoint home invasion burglary at a Grenada St, Mount Maunganui, address during which police say the three offenders demanded cash and drugs.

Some of the occupants were punched and kicked.

People have been charged and are before the courts in relation to all three home invasions.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Paxton said these types of incidents were "very disappointing" and concerning.

"Since early December there has been a significant rise in serious incidents, including the death of Merivale father Lance Scullin, and the Maketu shooting homicide, which obviously has a significant impact on our [police] members and their families, and the wider community."

Mr Paxton said he and his colleagues were extremely grateful for the support police have received from the community during these "extreme times".

"At this time of year there are a lot of extra pressures on people, whether it is because of family dynamics, financial difficulties or due to other concerns. My advice to the community is to try to be tolerant and look after each other.

"But if people do find themselves in a situation that causes them or their wider family, or other any members of the community any concerns I urge them to call us and let us intervene before people get hurt, property is taken or gets damaged," he said.

Anyone witnessing any suspicious or concerning activities is urged to phone Tauranga police on 577 4300 or provide the information anonymously via the Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

'My mum hates it': A record-breaking Kiwi daredevil on the sport of death diving

Bay of Plenty Times

Rugby club scores funding for long-awaited new clubrooms

Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

City leads region in dog reunions, low euthanasia rates


Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'My mum hates it': A record-breaking Kiwi daredevil on the sport of death diving
Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

'My mum hates it': A record-breaking Kiwi daredevil on the sport of death diving

Flynn Chisholm breaks Kiwi record with 40m cliff leap in Majorca.

12 Aug 10:02 PM
Rugby club scores funding for long-awaited new clubrooms
Bay of Plenty Times

Rugby club scores funding for long-awaited new clubrooms

12 Aug 10:00 PM
City leads region in dog reunions, low euthanasia rates
Bay of Plenty Times
|Updated

City leads region in dog reunions, low euthanasia rates

12 Aug 09:52 PM


Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet
Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

10 Aug 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP