Three people saved from alleged kidnapping in Whangārei, two arrested

Three people have been saved from an alleged kidnapping in Northland and two men have been charged, thanks to a well-placed roadside breath-testing checkpoint.

An investigation is now under way to untangle the details.

Police officers were running a checkpoint on Riverside Drive in Whangārei on Saturday night when, about 10.50pm, a man jumped out of a car and raised concerning claims.

Based on the information, police quickly arrested the driver, a 31-year-old patched member of the Crips gang, the only other occupant of the car.

Police spoke with the driver and his passenger before turning their focus to a home on Eureka Pl, Parahaki, where two more people were allegedly being held against their will.

A significant operation involving the Armed Offenders Squad, Police Negotiation Team and Criminal Investigation Branch was launched. The address was kept under observation while an armed response was prepared.

About midnight, a vehicle was seen leaving the address, running over road spikes laid in advance.

The vehicle was pursued and continued at speed, before stopping at a car park in the city, where the sole occupant, a 22-year-old man and patched Nomad gang member, was taken into custody.

Two victims were found inside the Eureka Place address and police established no offenders were outstanding.

Whangārei-Kaipara Area Commander Inspector Maria Nordstrom said the incident was unpredictable and the victim at the checkpoint showed great courage by raising the alarm.

“The officers at that checkpoint went from carrying out breath-tests to dealing with an active kidnapping in the blink of an eye. They have not wasted a moment to act on what were very concerning claims.

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“I’m proud of the response and how the officers involved brought a potentially dangerous event to a safe resolution, with no injuries to any of the parties involved.”

Both men face multiple charges of kidnapping or unlawfully detaining people, plus armed robbery with a knife and axe.

The 31-year-old also faces driving charges, while the 22-year-old faces driving charges and one charge of possessing methamphetamine.

Both men appeared in Whangārei District Court on Monday and are due to reappear in September.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.