A Kawakawa teenager has been jailed for six months after stealing a courier van and leading police on a coast-to-coast chase across the Far North.
Antone Wereru Te Wati Harris, 18, rammed a police car trying to get ahead to lay road spikes, causing the van to spin off the road.
The
jail term, however, is little consolation to the courier driver, who is $5000 out of pocket and faced losing his contract because of the van's condition.
The driver labelled Harris' six-month jail term a "waste of time" where he would only learn how to be a better criminal in prison.
"It's another backward step for the working man and another forward step for the criminals," the driver, who did not want to be named, said.
Police said Harris took the courier van from outside a business on Kerikeri Rd on October 13 last year. The van was well off the road with the engine off, but the keys were in the ignition while the driver was making a quick delivery.
The yellow van was spotted in Kaikohe, sparking a police chase almost as far as Opononi in South Hokianga.
With Rawene police tied up with a water rescue, the nearest police ahead were in Dargaville - which meant pursuing police had to pass the van to have any chance of laying road spikes.
Harris tried to sideswipe the overtaking police car on Whirinaki Hill but spun out of control.
He was charged with assaulting two police officers using a motor vehicle as a weapon, unlawful taking of a Toyota Hiace van, possession of an offensive weapon (three knives), falling to stop, reckless driving and driving while disqualified. Harris admitted all the charges except assaulting police.
He was found guilty in the Kaikohe District Court this week and sentenced to six months' jail.
