Northland news in brief: Hunt still on for man who took baby in carjacking; and crash victim named

Whangārei police are searching for this man in relation to the theft of a motor vehicle in which a 5-week-old baby was in the back seat.

An appeal to the public to help identify the man who stole a car with a baby on the backseat has lead to some helpful phone calls to police but no identification.
Acting Detective Sergeant Ryan Cooper said the man's reckless actions could have resulted in grave consequences and the man should turn himself in to police.
The car was stolen from the forecourt at BP Wylies in Whangārei on Wednesday about 11.30am.
Cooper asked again if anyone had seen the man before the theft to call police. The man is described as Māori, of solid build and was wearing a red and white chequered hoodie, a white Champion-branded baseball cap, black shorts and black shoes. Anyone with information can contact Cooper on 021 191 5935 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Crash victim named

The man who died in crash near Kaikohe on Thursday has been named as John Tawhia Tukaki, 66, of Kaikohe. A police spokeswoman said Tukaki was the sole occupant of a vehicle that went into a ditch on Mataraua Rd about 12.40am. The police Serious Crash Unit is investigating. After the crash police urged Northlanders to wear their seatbelts at all times.

Fire on beef farm

Quick action by firefighters prevented an implement shed from being completely gutted by a fire on Saturday morning.
Kaikohe fire chief Bill Hutchinson said an electrical fault was believed to have caused the fire, on a beef farm near the Kaikohe Aerodrome.
No other properties were threatened and damage to the shed was minimal.

Dog sought after cyclist attacked
Animal control staff are continuing to look for a dog that attacked a cyclist near Opua on Thursday. A man in his early 40s needed 14 stitches in his leg when an off-leash pitbull-type dog knocked him from his bike and bit him three times about 1km from the Opua end of the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. A passing couple intervened and rescued the man from worse injury. The dog was being walked by a couple who also had a shih tzu-type dog. A Far North District Council spokesman said the attack victim had been interviewed and two animal management officers had followed up the information he provided, but the dogs have not been found. The investigation was continuing. Dogs are allowed on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail only if they're on a leash. The penalty for breaking the bylaw is a fine of up to $20,000.

Cop shop shut
Kaitaia's police station is closed to the public under Covid-19 alert level 3, and no one is sure when it will open again. Watchhouse staff say those who bang on the door are wasting their time but should use a phone outside the door to make contact by dialling 105.