Waikato robber dragged 20m as he forces woman to stop car

Atua Edwards, pictured in 2016, after being featured on Police 10-7 for violence offending. Photo / NZ Police

Atua Edwards knew he was about to be arrested for multiple burglaries so he fled a house he was in and ran into the middle of the street to where a woman was driving in her Hyundai stationwagon.

“Get out of the car, get out of the car,” Edwards yelled as he ran towards her vehicle as it travelled along Mutu St in Te Awamutu.

The woman tried to close her window but the 41-year-old was too quick and reached inside, grabbing her left shoulder before trying to pull her from the car as she drove along the street.

“Get the f*** out,” he yelled as the woman tried to accelerate away.

Edwards held fast for about 20m before the woman stopped, grabbed her handbag and ran.

This incident on February 17 this year was the culmination of a number of burglaries and vehicle thefts Edwards had been responsible for in the previous couple of months.

He broke into the Backyard Bar in Whatawhata during the early hours of December 16, last year, but injured himself on the glass of the window he had smashed while trying to climb through.

After unsuccessfully trying to jimmy open the ATM, gaming safe and a fridge in the wholesale area, he ended up leaving with just a rug off the floor.

On December 30, he drove his own car into Hauturu Primary School near Kawhia and stole the security camera, which sat about 2 metres off the ground.

The camera managed to snap his photo before it was disabled.

Between 1pm and 3pm on January 16, Edwards went to a property in Pukeatua. He filled the property owner’s car with electronics, a drone, lawn mower, child’s 4x4 ride on electronic toy vehicle, then drove off.

He then used the stolen Eftpos card at McDonald’s in Te Awamutu on two separate occasions, just minutes apart, spending more than $75.

Edwards also stole a Ford Ranger from Drive Auto Sales in Tauranga on January 31 before driving it to a Whatawhata property, and twice breaking in within half an hour, and stealing numerous items including a compressor, tools, computers, television, binoculars and other items and leaving.

Edwards was in the Hamilton District Court for sentencing on multiple burglary and vehicle theft charges this week.

Counsel Wayne Dollimore told Judge Brett Crowley the offending was driven by his client’s meth addiction which had crept back into his life.

“It’s the catalyst of the offending, not a defence,” he said.

However, he took exception to comments in a pre-sentence report that he lacked remorse.

“He rejects that. He wanted to do restorative justice and is remorseful.”

Edwards accepted he had an extensive criminal history, and now he wanted to turn his life around and rid himself of his drug addiction and gang affiliation.

Edwards family, including his mother, was in court and told Judge Crowley she would always support her son.

“I love my son but not the wrong that he does. He’s got to focus on his children and his grandchildren, better himself.

“He’s getting told to be doing all this stuff, and it’s the children who need him.”

She had also written a letter in the form of a Section 27 cultural report, outlining her son’s troubles in life.

However, Judge Crowley noted one succint comment she made, “I have told him he needs to pull his head”.

“I don’t think you will get better advice than that,” Judge Crowley remarked.

He jailed Edwards for two years and four months but declined to issue any reparation orders as the judge didn’t want him freed from prison with a “financial burden hanging over you”.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for eight years and been a journalist for 19.