A bizarre report of theft in Mahora, Hastings, resulted in both the informant
and suspect being put into handcuffs.

The report of offending began with a 111 call at 2.15am on Tuesday, when a
concerned Williams Street resident noticed a balaclava-clad man with a
butcher’s knife allegedly stealing plants from the property.

Equally concerned, officers wasted no time locating the suspect, walking away
from a green waste bin into which the shrubbery had been unceremoniously
stuffed.

The stolen-then-abandoned bush turned out to be a massive cannabis plant,
“the size of a big Christmas tree”.

As the alleged offender was transported back to the station, officers went to
speak with the informant who reported the theft. At the address, Police found
enough to trigger a search warrant.

With the property locked down, officers located several other cannabis
plants, buds and seeds inside the address, and several more plants in the
backyard.

To add to the informants woes, they lost a second lot of cannabis after
Police confiscated the remaining plants, buds and seeds back to the station.

A 35-year-old man being charged with aggravated burglary and will appear in
the Hastings District Court on 26 March, while the 33-year-old informant was
arrested for cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis utensils.

Enquiries are continuing, but the cannabis tree won’t see Christmas.

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