News in brief from Northland - robbery, injuries from crash, Easter carnival on and speedster sentenced

The Te Mai PostShop was robbed by an offender with a weapon on Tuesday, police said.

Post Shop robbed

Post Shop Te Mai West was robbed around midday yesterday. A police spokesperson said it appeared a person armed with a weapon - - not a firearm - had entered the shop and taken money from the till. No one was injured and police inquiries are ongoing. Workers in neighbouring shops said they had not seen the robbery and some were unaware it had happened. Multiple police cars and uniformed and plain clothes officers were at the scene. The police spokesperson asked anyone with information on the robbery to call 105, quoting job number P054195151.

Easter carnival on

Waipū Easter Carnival is on this weekend from 9am until 2pm at Caledonian Park. The event is a fundraiser for Waipū Primary School. There will be plenty for the whole family including games, rides, street food, live entertainment, an art zone, petting zoo and market stalls. Entry is koha (donation) and attendees are strongly recommended to bring cash as there will be limited Eftpos.

Critical injuries from crash

One person was flown to hospital with critical injuries aftera crash in Kaikohe on Monday evening. The two-vehicle crash on SH12 was reported shortly after 6pm. A second person received minor injuries. The Serious Crash Unit was notified and inquiries into the crash are ongoing, a police spokesperson said.

Speedster sentenced

A woman caught speeding in Hukerenui and was too intoxicated to blow a breath test has been sentenced.

Kimberley Aekins, 49, of Whangārei was subject to a zero-alcohol interlock licence when she was caught driving drunk in 2022 and appeared for sentence on two charges of driving with excess breath alcohol.

In the Whangārei District Court, Judge Philip Rzpecky said with the high level of alcohol - more than 900mcg compared to the legal limit of 250mcg - combined with the speed she was travelling, it was just “luck she did not have a serious accident”.

Aekins was sentenced to 18 months intensive supervision and further disqualified from driving.

Hall demolition brought forward

The demolition of the Dargaville Town Hall (Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall) may be brought forward, after recent weather caused further damage. The foyer area was built in the late 1990s but the poor design and construction has resulted in significant leaking. The building has been deteriorating for some time. The Kaipara District Council had planned to demolish the foyer, then reclad the hall in 2024/2025.

Since Cyclone Gabrielle, the building has deteriorated further and leaks heavily every time it rains. KDC will consider the timeframe for demolition at a briefing today.