Public's help and whole of policing approach leads to gunman's arrest

A senior Waikato investigator says the arrest of an armed fugitive should serve as a warning to career criminals and members of organised criminal groups that whole of policing solutions will be used to address their offending.

District Crime Manager, Detective Karl Thornton, congratulated the combined Waikato investigation, Rotorua and Auckland Armed Offender Squads team responsible for the overnight arrest of a 44-year-old man at a rural property of SH29 in the Kaimai Range early this morning.

"This man, who is the alleged president of the Rogue chapter of the Mongrel Mob gang, had been the subject of a number of warnings to the public in relation to his offending and the risks he posed.

"Wanted on active warrants to arrest for kidnapping and aggravated robbery offences dating back to August of last year, this man was at the centre of a search of a Matamata property last month where Police located a hidden cavity in a house with a Police radio scanner inside."

Mr Thornton said too often organised criminal groups such as gangs tried to intimidate areas by presence of numbers but by utilising a whole of policing approach, the forces of good can apply greater numbers than those preying on vulnerable communities.

"Those involved in the arrest had no doubt of the risks they were facing when the man was arrested in possession of a loaded firearm and illicit drugs.

The public and the independent, anonymous Crimestoppers played an important part in today's arrest, relaying important information to us."

"Charged with aggravated robbery, kidnapping and unlawful possession of a firearm, the man will appear in the Hamilton District Court today and further charges have not been ruled out."

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