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

Police seek car sightings in murder hunt

Northern Advocate
20 Jan, 2016 12:53 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Police investigating the murder of Far North man Lee Rata want to hear from anyone who saw this Nissan Primera, registration YD7680, in Kaitaia or Moerewa. PHOTO / SUPPLIED

Police investigating the murder of Far North man Lee Rata want to hear from anyone who saw this Nissan Primera, registration YD7680, in Kaitaia or Moerewa. PHOTO / SUPPLIED

Police investigating the murder of Kaitaia man Lee Rata are trying to trace the movements of a car they suspect was used in the crime.

Mr Rata, 35, was severely beaten on Bonnett Rd in Kaitaia on New Year's Eve while a wedding party was taking place at a nearby home. He was found by a passer-by and died the following day in hospital.

Police have so far charged one man with murder. Four others, all affiliated to the Mongrel Mob in Moerewa and Kaitaia, have been arrested during the operation but face unrelated charges, mostly for drug-dealing and burglary.

Police are now calling for sightings of a silver 1994 Nissan Primera car, registration YD7680.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Inspector Kevin Burke, said he wanted to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle between Thursday, December 31, and Sunday, January 3, in the Kaitaia or Moerewa area.

Anyone with information could call the Kaitaia station on (09) 408 6500 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Burke said police had received great assistance from the public and the investigation was progressing.

Discover more

Gang involved in assault on Northland man - police

05 Jan 09:26 PM

Raid arrests linked to death

06 Jan 08:08 PM

Police remove suspicious items from local boat

24 Jan 11:00 PM

Thief's actions a real drag for gallery

25 Jan 10:20 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Three bidders confirmed for Northland Expressway PPP

21 Jun 05:00 PM
Northern Advocate

'I wouldn't wish it on anyone': Why are victims having to wait until 2027 for justice?

21 Jun 01:00 AM
Premium
Opinion

Opinion: Endless tourist tours are our modern purgatory

20 Jun 05:00 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Three bidders confirmed for Northland Expressway PPP

Three bidders confirmed for Northland Expressway PPP

21 Jun 05:00 PM

Initial construction work on the next section is set to begin by the end of next year.

'I wouldn't wish it on anyone': Why are victims having to wait until 2027 for justice?

'I wouldn't wish it on anyone': Why are victims having to wait until 2027 for justice?

21 Jun 01:00 AM
Premium
Opinion: Endless tourist tours are our modern purgatory

Opinion: Endless tourist tours are our modern purgatory

20 Jun 05:00 PM
Why kiwi deaths on roads highlight a conservation success story

Why kiwi deaths on roads highlight a conservation success story

20 Jun 02:00 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

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