Auckland City CIB investigations into two recent high-value jewellery robberies have so far resulted in the arrests of three women and two men, all whom will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow, June 3, charged with aggravated robbery.
Two of the women have already been charged with receiving stolen goods and will reappear tomorrow.
Three of those arrested are Colombians travelling on United States passports. Nationalities of the other two are unconfirmed but they arrived in New Zealand in April using Mexican passports.
Three of the accused - two men and a woman - were arrested in Wellington last Thursday and appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court on Friday charged with two aggravated robberies. They were remanded in custody to appear in Auckland.
Investigators are still trying to locate two men - also travelling on Mexican passports - who were last seen in Christchurch on May 27.
Juan Leal Casillas and Jose Roberto Jimenez Perez are possibly travelling in a grey Mitsubishi 380, registration number DDZ991. Anyone who knows where they are or who has seen them recently should contact Detective Sergeant Phil Cox at Auckland Central CIB.
The investigation into the activities of the seven people came about after a Sydney-based jewellery manufacturer and salesman was robbed of more than $100,000 of his property in Parnell on May 2.
On Tuesday May 17, two other international jewellery salespeople were robbed of more than $600,000 of their goods by five offenders outside Rydges Hotel in Federal St.
On May 19, two women were arrested at Auckland International Airport when trying to check in for a flight to Los Angeles. Mr Cox said it was important that the two outstanding travellers be located and spoken to by Police.
"We've alerted the hospitality industry and Customs but it seems the two men are laying low at this stage. We'd very much like to speak with them to fill in some gaps in our information."
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty, Auckland City Police Communications Manager - Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274 951 589
Website: www.police.govt.nz