A crime figure who made headlines as the leader of the infamous hole-in-the-wall gang is on the run in Northland.
Whangarei police want to arrest Simon Allan Kerr, 48, for a burglary and have confirmed sightings of him in Whangarei last week.
Detective Dave Wilkinson said a warrant had been issued for
Kerr's arrest in relation to the burglary of the Noel Leeming store in the Okara Shopping Centre last April.
In the overnight raid thousands of dollars worth of electrical equipment were stolen.
Mr Wilkinson said Kerr had been seen in Whangarei recently and also had strong links to Auckland. Kerr is a Pakeha, 1.9m tall and of solid build. He is heavily tattooed on his arms and legs with bats inked on each side of his neck.
He is best known as head of the hole-in-the-wall gang.
Members of the gang were notorious safecrackers who ripped out safes and automatic bank machines in a nationwide rampage about 20 years ago. Dubbed the hole-in-the-wall gang because of their destructive raids, the safecrackers escaped with thousands of dollars in jewellery and cash in a year-long crimewave.
One of their most spectacular raids involved a 1630kg safe being pulled through walls at the Bank of New Zealand branch in Mt Eden and $30,000 taken. A stolen truck and crane used in the heist were found over a bank in West Auckland days later.
The gang also used the same technique in Christchurch to score a safe holding $50,000. In one month, the raiders escaped with at least $200,000 in rings, watches and money after smashing into a Newmarket jewellery shop and cutting open a safe. Banks, jewellery shops, liquor outlets, pharmacies, fast-food restaurants and Lotto shops were also burgled.
Kerr again hit headlines in August 1994 when he camped out on a Mt Eden prison turret for 12 days, protesting about conditions in the remand wing. He escaped from custody four times, including once from Mt Eden in 1990.
Anyone who spots Kerr should call (09) 430 4583.
