Attribute to Wellington District Prevention Manager Inspector Fleur de Bes:

Police are in a position to name the Karori man who is unaccounted for following the severe weather in Wellington and urge anyone with information to come forward immediately.

Emergency services were contacted about 7.15am by a concerned resident who had not been able to make contact with a family member, Philip Sutton, who is in his 60s.

His Karori South Road residence was found to have been affected by floodwaters and debris.

Attribute to Wellington District Prevention Manager Inspector Fleur de Bes:

A search and rescue operation has been launched in Karori this morning, after a man was reported as unaccounted for following the severe weather.

Emergency services were contacted about 7.15am by a concerned resident who had not been able to make contact with a family member.

Their Karori South Road property was found to have been affected by floodwaters and debris.

Attributable to Detective Inspector Martin James:

Three people have died after an incident at an Avenue Road East, Hastings, address early this morning.

Emergency services were called to the property about 6am after reports of several people being seriously injured.

On arrival, one person was found deceased.

Two others were found to be in a critical condition and one in a serious condition, and were transported to Hastings Hospital.

Sadly, both critical parties have now also died. 

One person has been located deceased following a house fire in Napier.

Emergency services were called to Main North Road, Bay View, around 5am today.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the fire are ongoing, and the formal identification process is underway.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Police Maritime responded to a search and rescue incident this afternoon after a group of kayakers were reported overdue off the coast in the Stanmore Bay area.

The group had set off from Mahurangi intending to paddle to Manly Beach. When one double kayak failed to arrive as expected and sea conditions deteriorated, with rough seas and winds of 15–20 knots, a member of the group contacted Police.

Police have seized a dirt bike and arrested its rider following dangerous and unlawful behaviour on Taupō roads.

We’re targeting the use of off-road motorcycles on local roads says Detective Senior Sergeant Ryan Yardley, Taupō Area Investigations Manager.

“We’ve had numerous complaints about dirt bikes speeding in residential areas and on public roads where they’re quite simply not permitted. 

“Yesterday we executed several search warrants after numerous complaints from members of the public.

Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a male involved in a burglary at Glen Innes home early on Friday morning.

An investigation is underway after occupants awoke to an unknown male inside their home on Chiltern Crescent at around 4.30am.

Police are releasing an initial description of the man in an effort to identify and locate him.

Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk, of Auckland City CIB, says an occupant of the property was awoken at around 4.30am.

Attributable to Inspector Neil Forlong, Whanganui Area Commander:

Investigators undertaking a scene examination at a house fire in Rangataua located one person deceased yesterday afternoon.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) were alerted to the house fire on Kaha Street at around 6.40pm on Thursday 16 April.

The fire was extinguished by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), and Police were notified at around 7.25pm.

A scene guard was put in place overnight, to allow for a scene examination to be conducted during daylight hours yesterday.

Western Bay of Plenty Police are investigating incidents where people have received a scam phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer.

Acting Sergeant Gea Grilli is urging members of the Western Bay of Plenty community to be alert to the scam.

The ‘officer’ will call from an unknown number, and provide details in order to seemingly prove their identity.

A man has landed himself a court date after he was caught fishing in a protected marine reserve.