Four youths have been arrested following a home invasion, a series of commercial burglaries, and an incident in which shots were fired at police in the Waikato District early this morning.
One person was injured during the home invasion and the occupants are “understandably shaken”, say police.
Waikato District Commander Superintendent Bruce Bird told media shots were fired at police from a light-coloured car as they were doing their investigations on Bader Street in Hamilton.
Bird said police are working to find six other offenders, and will work tirelessly until they are caught and brought before the court.
Bird called the offenders an “organised crime group, pure and simple”.
“These people are now out of control.”
Bird said inquiries are going in the upper part of the North Island to track the offenders. All police staff in Waikato now armed.
He believed the offenders are arming themselves in some fashion, but whether they have guns or not he doesn’t know.
Bird believed there are gang links, based on the four that were arrested.
Police are “throwing the kitchen sink” at this, Bird said, adding they are “absolutely determined” to find them before Christmas.
“We are following very strong line of inquiries. My words to them ‘give up, we’re coming to get you’.”
The incident comes less than 48 hours since a Hamilton dairy worker had two fingers severed in a harrowing machete attack early on Saturday morning.
The robbery took place at Irvine St Dairy as the worker was opening for business at 7.30am. The four masked offenders, one of whom was armed with a machete, were yesterday still being hunted by police.
Police described the incident as involving “gratuitous violence” and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. They have called for witnesses to come forward and asked for anyone with information to come forward.
Authorities are investigating several burglaries - including one ram raid incident - in parts of the district in the early hours of this morning.
The first incident was reported shortly before 2am at a commercial property on Bryant Rd, in St Andrews, in Hamilton.
Just before 4am, a burglary at the Noel Leeming store on Duke St, in Cambridge, was reported to authorities.
A third incident at liquor store was reported about half an hour later on Sloane St, in Te Awamutu.
Four youths, aged 19, 18, 17 and 15, have been arrested and will be charged with burglary in connection with the Cambridge and Te Awamutu incidents.
“The youths fled the Sloane St, Te Awamutu address in two vehicles and subsequently stole a vehicle from homeowners in Gillard Rd, after one of their vehicles was disabled,” Bird said.
”Road spikes were deployed and the stolen vehicle was spiked and brought to a stop, following which the offenders fled on foot. A police dog team apprehended four youths in the Bader St area.
”It’s believed that shots were fired towards police scene guards at the Bader St address where the arrested youths were arrested, although this report is yet to be substantiated.”
Police are providing support to the homeowners whose house was entered and car stolen.
They are understandably shaken, and one has minor injuries.”
Bird said police inquiries are ongoing to locate other offenders involved in this incident. It’s believed that 10 youths were involved in the burglary.
“Police understand that the incidents overnight have been alarming and unsettling to our community, and we are working hard to hold the offenders accountable.”
“The community have had enough, we’ve had enough, and we want people to be safe and feel safe.”
Police were stepping up patrols in retail areas, tasking additional staff to the investigation and working with partners agencies to address the root causes of youth offending.
”Youth offending is an all-of-community issue and it needs an all-of-community response. Police will continue to play our part, and we know that our partners are working hard to play their part.”
At the Noel Leeming store, orange cones had been put out front to cordon off the area.
The entrance door glass panels had been smashed broken and debris - including what looked to be a beaded bracelet - lay on the ground just outside.
Inside the store, cabinets could be seen toppled over and boxed items and other debris were on the flood.
Despite the big clean up ahead of them, staff still turned up for a day of work, with a sign outside saying: “Yes. We are open. Please enter around the back.”
Can you help? Anyone with information is urged to call Police on 105 or CrimeStoppers Anonymous on 0800 555 111