Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

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

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

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

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

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 / Northern Advocate

Northland Police denies spike in violent crime after police car shooting and drive-by shooting

Adam Pearse
Adam Pearse
Deputy Political Editor·Northern Advocate·
13 Nov, 2020 04:00 PM3 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
Northland Police says there doesn't appear to be a spike in violent crime, armed police seen here as they investigate the Puketona police car shooting last month. Photo / File

Northland Police says there doesn't appear to be a spike in violent crime, armed police seen here as they investigate the Puketona police car shooting last month. Photo / File

Northland Police says there isn't a spike in violent crime despite two shooting events in less than three weeks.

On October 27, two men allegedly carried out a shocking crime spree which included shooting at a police officer at close range, a kidnapping, a car torching and possibly also a series of shop ram-raids.

The officer escaped injury but the patrol car windscreen was peppered with shot from the shotgun blast on Puketona Rd, off State Highway 10 south of Kerikeri. The two men are still at large.

Begbie acknowledged policing was an inherently dangerous job. Photo / File
Begbie acknowledged policing was an inherently dangerous job. Photo / File

Eleven days later, two people were injured in a drive-by shooting just north of Kaitaia. The two victims were parked on the side of the road at the intersection of Inland Rd and Lake Ohia Flood Bypass Rd, Lake Ohia, when another car approached them.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The occupants of the "passing dark-coloured, possibly four-door motor vehicle" presented firearms, and fired several shots at the two victims. One victim was hit in his left leg and the other victim on his right foot. Fortunately, their injuries were not life-threatening.

In a statement, relieving Northland Police District Commander Detective Inspector Dene Begbie said police were "not immediately aware of any significant increase in violent crime in our district".

Relieving Northland Police District Commander Detective Inspector Dene Begbie (left). Photo / Tania Whyte
Relieving Northland Police District Commander Detective Inspector Dene Begbie (left). Photo / Tania Whyte

Referencing the Puketona shooting, Begbie acknowledged the concern that incident had caused for officers and the wider community.

"Policing is an inherently dangerous job and for that reason we want to ensure our staff are well-equipped and trained to deal with any situations they may encounter.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We constantly review processes and tactical options to ensure they keep both our staff and communities safe."

With an increasing trend of potentially criminal incidents being discussed on social media platforms, Begbie encouraged the public to report any incident to police in the first instance.

"In situations where a person might come across a social media posting showing criminal activity, we ask that they report it to police as soon as possible," he said.

"In other cases, police have found matters are posted on social media before they are reported to police and investigated."

Discover more

Ruakākā family demands return of stolen piglets sick with virus

11 Nov 04:31 PM

Police put organised crime in Northland 'on notice'

11 Nov 04:00 PM

Far North shooting isn't random violence, Northland police say

09 Nov 04:00 PM

Volunteer Northland firefighter's tools taken after vehicle raid while he helped the community

09 Nov 04:00 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Premium
Northern Advocate

'They've saved the day for us': Regional media firm, 20 jobs rescued by local identity

12 Sep 12:30 AM
Northern Advocate

Long wait ends: Council confirms Warehouse site will be torn down

12 Sep 12:29 AM
Northern Advocate

Northland's biggest mobile voting ballot box journey kicks off

11 Sep 07:33 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Premium
Premium
'They've saved the day for us': Regional media firm, 20 jobs rescued by local identity
Northern Advocate

'They've saved the day for us': Regional media firm, 20 jobs rescued by local identity

Firm owed more than $600,000 and most creditors will miss out - but jobs have been saved.

12 Sep 12:30 AM
Long wait ends: Council confirms Warehouse site will be torn down
Northern Advocate

Long wait ends: Council confirms Warehouse site will be torn down

12 Sep 12:29 AM
Northland's biggest mobile voting ballot box journey kicks off
Northern Advocate

Northland's biggest mobile voting ballot box journey kicks off

11 Sep 07:33 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 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
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • 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
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP