The man refused to be arrested and threatened the officer, becoming co-operative only when a Taser was pointed at him. Even then he resisted being handcuffed.
The man, who Constable Gorrie said had been warned in the past about taking oysters, was charged with theft, resisting police and threatening behaviour/language, and was held in the Whangarei police cells before appearing in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday. Police planned to oppose bail.
Constable Gorrie said all property used to carry out the alleged theft had been seized, including the ute, trailer, runabout, outboard motor, flippers, wetsuit, head torches, a tomahawk used to chip oysters off the racks, even his gumboots.
"We have seized everything used in the crime, down to his gumboots, and we'll do the same to anyone who is caught," he added.
"This farm gets hit every season by a multitude of people, but we're fighting back."
He thanked members of the public who had reported the theft, and had gone to his assistance during the arrest.
The oysters, worth about $1000, were returned to the farmer.
