Hawke’s Bay police continue major crime investigations

Police on Tuesday at a property off Taihape Rd, Omahu (between Napier and Hastings) after the discovery of a body obscured from the road by bush. Photo / Doug Laing.

Police say they are making “good progress” investigating a week of major incidents in the Napier-Hastings area, although few details have been released.

It involves at least five events, that started early on the morning of January 28 when at least four people smashed their way into the Z Mataruahou Service Station, at the intersection of Tennyson, Station and Thackeray streets and Kennedy Rd.

It was followed by an early Sunday morning assault in Napier, near a West Quay nightclub, after which a man died in hospital on Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, a body was found on a property near Taihape Rd village Omahu, between Napier and Hastings, and an all-day police scene examination followed.

On Tuesday afternoon, at least four masked people smashed their way through the Michael Hill Jeweller branch at the corner of Emerson and Market streets in the Napier CBD.

Early the following morning, a person was admitted to hospital with what were reported to be moderate injuries consistent with gunshot wounds after an incident in residential Thackeray St.

Police had by late-week reported only three arrests - that of a minor in relation to the service station incident, a 21-year-old charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the bar-quarter assault, and a 19-year-old in relation to the Thackeray St incident.

Police Hawke’s Bay Area commander Lincolm Sycamore said: “The public can be assured that we are making good progress with the events over the past week.

“Police are very deliberate in thoroughly investigating crimes on behalf of victims,” he said. “We have a responsibility to do what’s right for victims and we want justice on their behalf.”

He said Hawke’s Bay Police are managing the investigations within “current capacity,” adding that serious crime investigations often rely on specialist services like ESR to assist.

“They cover the country and respond as and when they are needed,” he said. “Our operations continue to meet the demand and calls for emergency service.”

Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter based in Napier with more than 40 years newspaper experience in the region.