Police have charged a North Shore man for allegedly stealing at least seven motorcycles since March.
Auckland police’s Waitematā East tactical crime unit launched Operation Broomstick to investigate the bike stolen from Albany and Takapuna.
The investigations led to search warrants in Birkenhead and Forrest Hill, Waitemetā East area commander Inspector Stefan Sagar said.
Officers found the 38-year-old man at the Forrest Hill property and an eighth stolen bike in Birkenhead - a Kawasaki Ninja.
“This [bike] hadn’t been reported stolen; however, our enquiries have now established it had been very recently stolen from Auckland CBD,” Sagar said.
![Police found this stolen motorcycle, a Kawasaki Ninja, as part of investigations into the theft of at least seven bikes across Albany and Takapuna. Photo / Supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/UINO6I5FMFDTHHELTH4TG25UAQ.png?auth=ae33209fe4b08645e8ae65a80cbd053a13bcee3a797bd044c6de4ad09ccec6a1&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
“We have charged this man with at least nine counts of unlawfully taking a motorcycle,” he said.
He was due to reappear in the North Shore District Court on July 3.
Police were yet to find seven of the stolen motorcycles and couldn’t rule out further arrests or charges as investigations continued.
“While we have not yet been able to return some of the motorcycles to their owners, police will continue to hold to account offenders to account, as well as their associates who may be enabling this offending to occur,” Inspector Sagar said.