Five people arrested after illegal hunting, wilful damage, and theft in the Kinleith Forests

The offending that is alleged to have happened in the Kinleith Forests include Illegal hunting, wilful damage, and theft. Photo / File

By RNZ

Five people have been arrested over alleged crimes with an estimated cost of $1 million in the Kinleith Forests over the past year.

Detective Sergeant Neale Saunders, of Tokoroa police, said the offending included illegal hunting, wilful damage, and theft.

There has been an estimated cost of $1 million from the offending, including damage to firms’ equipment and lost productivity, he said.

Officers had been working closely with the company that manages the Kinleith Forests.

Several gates across the forests had been cut open to allow alleged offenders to access the sites. They have since been repaired, Saunders said.

Those arrested, who are aged between 30 and 34, are due to appear in the Tokoroa District Court over the next few months.

They face charges of intentional damage, unlawful possession of firearms, and theft.

Police warned that anyone illegally entering the forests without permission would be committing several offences, some punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Inquiries are continuing into the offending, and police want to hear from anyone who has recently witnessed suspicious behaviour around these forests.

Information can be passed on via 105 or online.

- RNZ