By SCOTT INGLIS
Have you seen any of these people recently? If so, call the police.
They are among the country's most-wanted fugitives and their photographs and details have been provided by police.
Their crimes include escaping the country's toughest prison, home invasion with violence, manufacturing Class A drugs and burglary.
In
the United States, the FBI has a Top 10 Most Wanted and offers the public rewards ranging from $50,000 to $5 million for crucial information.
The $5 million is for anyone who can help to bring in international terrorist Usama Bin Laden, wanted for murdering US citizens outside the US.
New Zealand has never had a Top 10 register partly because it has fewer extremely dangerous criminals on the run than the US.
Within the police opinions differ over whether fugitives can be ranked as more wanted than others. Despite that, police in Auckland would like to catch:
Wayne Michael Burnie: This 32-year-old is accused of burgling elderly people's homes and is wanted by North Shore police over several raids.
An arrest warrant has been issued by the Waitakere District Court for burglary.
It is alleged Burnie entered a New Lynn house, stole items and left the elderly owners, who had confronted him, shaken by their ordeal.
He is wanted for Torbay and Ellerslie house burglaries carried out while the elderly occupants were gardening.
Burnie is believed to be living and moving about the North Shore and Henderson. He is a 175cm, thinly built Caucasian, with brown hair and blue eyes. .
Contact: Sergeant Morgan, North Shore Intelligence Section (09) 488-6242.
William Michael Ihaka: Paroled from Mt Eden Prison in Auckland, Ihaka absconded from an alcohol and drugs treatment programme at Odyssey House.
He had been convicted on burglary, theft and car theft charges in September 1997.
Ihaka is Maori, 175cm, of thin build with black hair.
He is not considered dangerous and could be anywhere.
Contact: the nearest police station.
Maciek Korczowski: A convicted drug dealer, this 34-year-old Polish man failed to appear at his final day of trial in the High Court at Auckland last October.
He had been charged with importing amphetamine and possession of amphetamine for supply.
The final day of the trial was set aside for the jury's verdict. He was found guilty and convictions were entered.
Korczowski is 191cm and of thin build. He has a goatee beard, brown hair and eyes and speaks with a European accent.
Contact: Detective Bartlett (09) 259-0609, Detective Sergeant Middleton (09) 259-0733.
Brian Curtis: Curtis broke out of Auckland's maximum security prison at Paremoremo nearly eight years ago, on August 18, 1993.
The grey-haired crime lord, now in his late 60s, was serving life terms for importing heroin. Detectives believe he is running a drug ring overseas after fleeing on a false Irish passport. He was also rumoured to be in the South Pacific.
Blue-eyed Curtis is 175cm and of medium build.
Contact: the nearest police.
David Potusa: Also known as David Olo, Tavita Olo, Tavita Potusa, and David Snake Potusa, this 34-year-old fugitive is wanted for home invasion involving violence.
On Tuesday, October 3, last year, Potusa and another man kicked their way into a house in Wyllie Rd, Papatoetoe, and confronted the householder and his pregnant wife.
While Potusa directed, his mate kicked the man in the back and head, rammed his head into a mirror and smashed a ceramic ornament over him.
Potusa was positively identified and knows the police are after him. He left his Flatbush Rd, Otara, address and is reportedly hiding with family and friends in Otara, Papatoetoe and East Tamaki.
The 168cm Pacific Islander has black hair and brown eyes.
Contact: Detective Constable Andrew Berry (09) 295-0200, 021 300-974.
Heon Chul Choi: A Korean liquor company regularly sends private detectives to New Zealand to hunt for this man, who is a former employee. Choi is wanted for extradition to Korea for fraud.
He is believed to have been touring New Zealand with his wife and two primary school children.
On February 18, last year, a provisional arrest warrant under the Extradition Act was issued by the Wellington District Court.
Choi fled Korea in December 1999 but the company he worked for refuses to say how much it lost.
Contact: the Asian Crime Squad (09) 259-0625.
Julie Green: Police say this 25-year-old has pocketed about $50,000-plus by stealing cheque books from mailboxes in West Auckland, rural North Shore, including Stillwater, Albany, Huapai, Kumeu, and other areas since mid-last year.
She cashes the cheques at banks, generally for sums less than $500.
Contact: Detective Roy Parker, Auckland General Fraud Squad (09) 302-6400.
Faima Francis Lavatai: North Shore police want Lavatai over a $115,000 fraud. An arrest warrant has been issued.
Stephen Allan Beedle: This fugitive failed to appear in court for sentencing for manufacturing heroin.
He is believed to be in West Auckland.
Daniel Francis Fulcher: Fulcher is wanted for arrest for manufacturing drugs.
He is believed to be staying on the North Shore. Anyone with information on Beedle, Lavatai or Fulcher should contact Sergeant Morgan, North Shore police (09) 488-6242.
Everyone can help nab elusive crooks
By SCOTT INGLIS
Have you seen any of these people recently? If so, call the police.
They are among the country's most-wanted fugitives and their photographs and details have been provided by police.
Their crimes include escaping the country's toughest prison, home invasion with violence, manufacturing Class A drugs and burglary.
In
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