Monday, 26 July 2010 - 8:16am |
National News

Hunt for Waikato fugitive continues

1 min read

Waikato Police searching for an armed gang member on the run following a series of alleged violent domestic assaults on his estranged partner are increasing pressure on the offender's associates as the hunt continues.

Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Thornton of the Hamilton CIB said officers have been seeking 25-year-old Colin KIRIONA since becoming aware of the assaults last Wednesday night.

"We believe KIRIONA is armed and he has a history of violent offending, we assess him as being extremely dangerous.

"He is a patched member of an adult gang and it is those associates who are feeling the pressure of Police attentions as we continue the search for him."

Mr Thornton said the hunt for KIRIONA was right at the heart of the Police's war on organised crime.

"These groups prey on the rest of the community actively intimidating them, well they need to know the boot is on the other foot and the Police will be applying pressure of our own on these people as we seek to take this violent offender off the streets and into custody."

Police had received a various reports from around the country about sightings of a man matching KIRIONA'S description.

"He has a distinctive bulldog tattoo on his left cheek and we've had reports from as far away as Christchurch of people with similar descriptions and we ask these sighting reports continue."

One report resulted in a green people-mover van being stopped by armed Police in Ngaruawahia on Saturday however KIRIONA was not located in the vehicle.

"At the end of the day KIRIONA and his associates need to realise Police will not rest until he is caught and anyone found harbouring him will face prosecution."

Anyone with any information on KIRIONA'S whereabouts is asked to contact Mr Thornton at the Hamilton Central Police Station on 07 8586200. Alternatively information can be left anonymously on the Crimestoppers crimeline, 0800 555111.

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