Waikato Police say a combination of members of the public relaying timely, accurate information about suspicious activity and recently introduced new technology led to the arrest of two separate pairs of Auckland offenders north of Huntly today.
North Waikato Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Gill Meadows, said both incidents happened about 8.45am with one beginning in Ngaruawahia and the other happening in Tahuna.
"In the Ngaruawahia incident an officer was responding to a call from members of the public about suspicious activity at a residential address.
"On arriving she found two men stripping a house of copper who claimed to be working for a named company. Using her mobility device the officer tracked down the company who told her the pair had nothing to do with them."
Ms Meadows said with that information she advised the men they were under arrest but rather than face scrutiny from the Police, the pair threw the officer to the ground and fled south on SH1 in a car.
"The officer activated her Officer Safety Alarm which alerted the Northern Communications Centre that she was in trouble, providing GPS co-ordinates to other staff. The Constable then made it to her patrol car and relayed the direction of travel of the fleeing driver as she initiated a pursuit.
"There were a number of Road Policing staff in the area and a Police dog and handler in the north of Hamilton, as the offenders sped south towards the City those staff were able to converge on the area."
When the offenders got to Horotiu they then turned north on to the Waikato Expressway and the pursuit was managed by the Northern Communications Centre as they headed towards Taupiri.
"Officers deployed road spikes at the round-about at the Taupiri end of the expressway but when the offenders saw that they drove on to the grass verge, bring their car to a halt.
"Workers doing landscaping on the expressway saw the pair trying to flee and one of them tackled an offender just as officers arrived. The second offender was apprehended by a Police dog and handler about 10 minutes later. The offenders are 34 and 23-year-old males from Manurewa who are currently being interviewed by Police."
In the second incident members of the public phoned 111 to report a suspicious vehicle in Tahuna.
"The land owner and neighbours followed two people from the car and relayed accurate information to us leading to the apprehension of two juvenile males from Mangere in a stolen car. The pair are being interviewed and have been linked to several burglaries in Counties and the North Waikato.
"The two important learnings from today are that if you see something that doesn't seem right, then do something, ring 111. The second thing is that offenders need to realise that the introduction of new technology is enhancing the Police's ability to be anywhere at any time to respond and prevent crime."
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