Operation nabs repeat offenders, reassures victims

Northland Police Inspector Wayne Ewers said officers would continue to target known repeat offenders in crime hotspots across the region after an operation involving a dozen officers on Wednesday.

At least a dozen police officers have executed search warrants and visited a number of known repeat offenders in an effort to halt an increase in dishonesty crimes in and around Kaitaia.

The officers - from Far North stations,and two from Whangarei - carried out an operation around the Far North that netted a number of arrests, including a middle-aged woman allegedly found growing 30 cannabis plants in an indoor operation.

Mr Ewers said the operation was part of a total policing approach that targeted areas that had experienced higher than normal levels of crime, particularly dishonesty offences like burglary.

The operation follows on from similar operations earlier this year in Raumanga, Whangarei, and Kawakawa/Moerewa.

He said Kaitaia and surrounds have been hit by a run of dishonesty offences recently and in Wednesday's operation officers visited a number of known repeat offenders.

They also visited victims of the crimes - mainly businesses - to reassure them and offer advice on how they could improve security.

"We are trying to focus on areas that have had a higher than normal level of such crimes and there have been a lot of victims up there.

"People that were known to us for dishonesty offending were visited, while some officers also executed search warrants, including for high-risk drivers who had lost their licences because of excess demerit points," he said.

A search warranted executed at a rural home near Ahipara uncovered an indoor cannabis growing operation that contained 30 plants and a middle-aged woman has been arrested. She's likely to be charged with cultivating cannabis, Mr Ewers said.

A number of people were also arrested on outstanding warrants, mainly for failing to appear in court or outstanding fines.

Ten high-risk drivers who had amassed enough demerit points to have their licence suspended - mainly for excess speed - were also visited.

"These are high-risk drivers. The law says when they have exceeded the demerit point limit we have to take their licence off them for three months. Hopefully they have learned their lesson and won't drive over the next three months," Mr Ewers said.

The overall policing approach was about reassuring crime victims and the wider community that police were taking their concerns seriously and would actively hunt offenders.

As part of the operation police were joined by members of Far North REAP at a roadblock on South Rd, where they spoke to motorists about the importance of being properly restrained while travelling in vehicles.

They also spoke to a number of motorists who were having difficulties getting their driving licences about how to get them and gave two donated child restraints to motorists.