Police are making an appeal to wanted criminal Kim Smith to give himself up and talk to police.
Smith is wanted by police in relation to the homicide of Tribesman gang member Dwayne Wilson, who was shot at his Waingaro property in the Waikato on June 7. Smith has been evading police since the homicide. He is also wanted on a raft of other serious violence, drugs and firearms charges.
Police today continued searching a rural area south of the Port Waikato township in a bid to find Smith. Police believe he had been staying in a hut in a pine forest before police found it on Tuesday. He is also believed to have stayed in a nearby woolshed on Tuesday night.
Detective Inspector Peter Devoy said the first priority of the police was to find Smith and talk to him.
"We know that Smith was at the property at the time of Wilson's death and we need to clarify his involvement in that. We urgently need to know what part Smith played in this incident, if any at all. There are many questions unanswered and Smith is just one of the pieces of the puzzle."
Mr Devoy said the police needed to find Smith, who is likely to be armed.
"Our first priority is to find him and ensure his wellbeing. He has had a few nights out in the open living rough, we don't know how much food or clothing he has. We are genuinely concerned for his safety," Mr Devoy said.
Voice appeals to Smith will be made from the air today from the police Eagle helicopter, asking him to give himself up. Mr Devoy said local residents in the area being searched may hear those appeals and should not be alarmed by it.
"We know this is having an impact on the community and we would encourage anyone living in the search area to continue their lives as normal. We have asked that people be a bit more security conscious and lock their vehicles and buildings, but we would hope that this does not disrupt people's lives too much."
Armed police would continue to be in the area and the Eagle helicopter would again be used to drop staff into more isolated areas. Air Force Iroquois helicopters are also being used to move staff around the area.
Mr Devoy said police wanted to work with the community to bring a successful resolution.
"It's important that we get as much information from local residents who may have seen Smith or who might have noticed anything suspicious. Any information on Smith's movements is obviously needed."
Local residents who have information about Smith can ring their local police station and they will be directed to operational staff. Mr Devoy said residents should also feel free to approach police who may be circulating in the area.