Armed Offenders Squad Action in Ōtaki

November 2021

By Frank Neill

The Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) were in action in Ōtaki on 12 October.

Police searched a Mill Road address at around 8:45am, and used the AOS to locate a 35-year-old man wanted on an arrest warrant and for a series of other serious matters.

The Police’s risk assessment indicated that the safest method of taking the man into custody

was to use the AOS.

The man, who has links to Ōtaki, faces 22 charges, predominantly for violence and

dishonesty.

He has been remanded in custody to appear in the Porirua District Court on 2 November.

People with outbuildings in rural or semi-rural areas in the Ōtaki district are advised to look

at the security of their property.

There has recently been an increase in rural and semi-rural burglaries, says Sergeant Phil

Grimstone, the Police’s officer in charge of Ōtaki.

The offenders have been targeting outbuildings and sheds, and also uplifting scrap metal.

In addition, offenders have been targeting building sites and properties that are being

renovated and have been taking tools left on site insecure.

“It’s been a busy month all round for Police,” Sergeant Grimstone says.

They attended 35 family harm incidents in the month to 18 October.

One of the family harm incidents came to light after Police were called by a man who

received a death threat while walking along Kirk Street.

The man who was challenged and then threatened did not know the offender, a 29-year-old

man who Police arrested at around 8pm on 24 September.

After making enquiries, Police charged the man with willful damage, possession of an

offensive weapon, threatening to kill and driving while suspended.

He was remanded in custody to appear in the Levin District Court on 28 October.

At around 1am on 1 October, Police were called after a 29-year-old woman assaulted her

partner and other people who were at the house at the time.

She has been charged with assault with a weapon, assault on a person in a family relationship, assault and carrying out a threatening act. She was released on bail to appear in the Levin District Court on 27 October.

Police arrested a 19-year-old man at around 9am on 7 October and charged him with willful

damage and assaulting a person in a family relationship. He was remanded on bail to appear

in the Levin District Court on 3 November.

Police were called after a 53-year-old woman, driving under the influence of alcohol, crashed

into the back of two vehicles on State Highway 1 at Te Horo at 9:20am on 23 September.

All the vehicles were travelling south. A member of the public also told Police they had seen

the woman crossing yellow centre lines towards oncoming traffic.

After she gave a breath alcohol reading of 586, Police charged her with driving with excess

breath alcohol third and subsequent and with dangerous driving. She was due to appear in the Levin District Court on 20 October.

A 42-year-old man blew a breath alcohol reading of 1033 when he was stopped on State

Highway 1 in Ōtaki at 11:10am on 9 October and was charged with driving with excess

breath alcohol. He was to appear in the Levin District Court on 27 October.

For that time of the day “that’s a notable reading,” Sergeant Grimstone noted.

When Police stopped a 50-year-old woman on State Highway 1, Ōtaki, at 9:45pm on 24

September, she blew a reading of 919. She was charged with driving with excess breath

alcohol and dangerous driving and was to appear in the Levin District Court on 27 October.

A 31-year-old man was charged with driving with excess breath alcohol after he was stopped

on State Highway 1, in Pekapeka, at 9pm on 2 October. His breath alcohol reading was 484,

and he was due to appear in the Porirua District Court on 24 November.

After a 24-year-old man was stopped on Waerenga Road at 10:40pm on 16 October, he gave a breath alcohol reading of 1057 and was charged with driving with excess breath alcohol.