Robbers had pistol in car heist and chase

A man has been remanded in continued custody after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery after the near-gunpoint taking of a car and destruction of the vehicle, and damage to police vehicles in a chase that followed. Photo / File

A man has pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated robbery involving the near-gunpoint taking of a car in Hastings and destruction of the vehicle and damage to several police vehicles in a chase that followed.

Appearing in Napier District Court last week via audio-visual link from prison, Teorihau Kirihi Gillies-Ngaranoa also pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless driving relating to the events on the night of June 2 last year — the Friday entering Queen's Birthday weekend.

Judge Bridget Mackintosh remanded him in continued custody for sentencing on October 5, Gillies-Ngaranoa saying he was happy to stay in the jail for the outcome also via AVL, without having to be transported to court.

A Crown summary says two people were sitting in a silver-coloured VW Golf parked in Tomoana Rd, near Cornwall Park, about 6.20pm.

Another vehicle parked nearby but soon moved to block the VW. Gillies-Ngaranoa then knocked on the window of the VW and asked for a cigarette lighter, walked away momentarily and returned to demand that the door be opened.

Once the door had opened, Gillies-Ngaranoa ordered a male to get out and empty his pockets, and the offender then showed the man and an accompanying woman that he had a pistol in his jacket. The woman also got out and emptied her pockets. Gillies-Ngaranoa got in and drove off, followed by the other vehicle.

About two hours later police saw the stolen vehicle driven by Gillies-Ngaranoa in Camberley, but it did not stop and hit speeds of 110km/h in a 50km/h area, sometimes crossing the centrelines in the face of oncoming traffic. During the chase an occupant of the VW through bottles and other objects at police.

It crashed into the side of another patrol car as an officer parked in an attempt to block the fleeing vehicle's path, but the VW continued into Orchard Rd, and had hit another car before being wedged in by at least two more police cars, ending the chase.

Gillies-Ngaranoa was taken to hospital with injuries from the collision but the second man fled. During the chase a police dog found the pistol discarded by the man.

The VW Golf was badly damaged and had to be written-off, the summary said.