'Crime spree' couple appear in court

Tamzen Bush and Brandon Wong were wanted by police for alleged burglaries, car theft and selling stolen goods. Photo / Supplied

A young Auckland couple accused of a month-long crime spree across the city have appeared in court today.

Tamzen Bush, 24, and Brandon Wong, 20, appeared in Hamilton District Court facing a raft of new charges.

Most of the alleged offending occurred in Auckland but some charges are from Gisborne and Ohope.The pair were arrested in Paeroa about 1pm yesterday after a member of the public called police.

They are jointly charged with six counts of burglary, stealing petrol, failing to stop for police and attempting to steal a Subaru car.

Wong is also facing four charges for stealing registration plates, unlawfully using an ANZ Visa card and stealing petrol.

Bush broke down in tears when she saw her father in the public gallery of court today. She was remanded in custody to reappear in Auckland District Court tomorrow.

Wong was also remanded in custody and will reappear in court on October 8.

Police yesterday found the couple in a silver Jeep Cherokee that had allegedly been stolen from an Ohope address the night before.

They gave false names to police, but a spokeswoman said officers quickly established their true identities and they were arrested without incident.

Officers from Waitemata police travelled down to Hamilton this morning to interview the pair before charges were laid.Their arrests come after a public appeal for information last week.

Police said the couple were understood to be travelling together and had been previously believed to be in Helensville and Orewa.

Detective Inspector John Sutton said he believed the couple would continue to offend until they were found.

The couple's month-long spree of alleged offending

• Aug 27: Wong is alleged to have dishonestly used an ANZ Visa card in Auckland. Later that day, he and Bush are alleged to have committed burglary in the city
• Aug 30: Wong is alleged to have stolen $80 petrol in Mt Roskill. In the days before and after he is also alleged to have stolen registration plates in Waiuku, Auckland and Mt Eden
• Sept 1: The couple allegedly commit burglary in Mt Eden
• Sept 7: Bush and Wong allegedly commit burglary in Auckland
• Sept 16: The pair allegedly commit burglary in Orewa. Wong is also alleged to have stolen registration plates that day and the next
• Sept 21: Bush and Wong allegedly try to steal a Subaru car in Albany
• Sept 22: The pair allegedly commit burglary and fail to stop for police in Helensville
• Sept 27: Wong and Bush allegedly steal $87.66 of petrol from a Mobil in Gisborne
• Sept 28: The pair are alleged to have committed burglary in Ohope. They are arrested in a stolen Jeep Cherokee in Paeroa after a tip from the public
• Sept 29: Wong and Bush appear in Hamilton District Court and are remanded in custody

(Source: Hamilton District Court charge sheets)