Tequila Pomepi was jailed for his latest string of offending. Photo / Supplied
Tequila Pomepi was jailed for his latest string of offending. Photo / Supplied
A man on a quest to make some quick cash embarked on a crime spree between Auckland and Paihia that included such erratic driving that police were forced to abandon their pursuit of him twice in one day.
Tequila Pomepi, 26, appeared for sentencing in the Whangārei District Courtbefore Judge John McDonald earlier this week in relation to a range of offending that began on April 4, 2023.
The charges included aggravated robbery, driving dangerously, failing to stop, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and breaching court and prison release conditions.
On that day, Pomepi had not long been released from prison and decided to steal a Honda Odyssey from Lynn Mall carpark in Auckland and head north.
Hours later he was spotted by a marked police car driving at speed through Onerahi in Whangārei and was pulled over.
While the police ran a registration check, Pomepi sped off into oncoming traffic, forcing multiple vehicles to take evasive action. Due to the danger, police abandoned the chase.
Pomepi continued his reckless driving along Riverside Drive, turning off his headlights and swerving into oncoming traffic, before pulling into a BP service station.
CCTV captured Pomepi attempting to put fuel in when police pulled in and stopped directly in front of the car.
Pomepi got back into the vehicle, reversed and drove straight into the police car in front of him.
He took a right turn and accelerated on the wrong side of the road once more, forcing the police to abandon their pursuit again.
At around 11.30am the next day, Pomepi arrived at the superette on Kings Rd in Paihia armed with a claw hammer and ran into the store waving it around and yelling, “This is a stick-up!”
Pomepi began smashing the cash register with the hammer and attempting to open a cigarette cabinet, which he failed to do. The shopkeeper ran and hid as Pomepi ripped the register out and left the scene in the Honda.
There was $200 in the register. Pomepi threw the register out the window a short time later.
Police carrying inquiries after the Hikurangi Four Square was robbed of cigarettes and other items. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Pomepi headed south and decided to do another hit, this time at the Hikurangi Four Square.
Armed with the same hammer, Pomepi entered the store, went straight behind the counter, and filled a basket with items. A female store worker raised the alarm and Pomepi left with the basket.
A short time later police located the stolen vehicle in Tikipunga and dogs tracked Pomepi hiding in a bush, still carrying the shopping basket.
When questioned why he did it, Pomepi, who had acted alone, said he needed to make an earning.
Pomepi is no stranger to the courts and has a long list of violent offending. Probation remarked he was at a high risk of reoffending and was considered low in his chances of rehabilitation due to several cognitive issues.
Judge McDonald said both victims were left traumatised and a clear message needed to be sent to those who chose to rob retail stores.
“As they say, there’s far too much of it going on,” Judge McDonald said.
Pomepi was sentenced to five years and ten months’ imprisonment.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
