A sparky’s senses sniffed out a large-scale commercial grow house, resulting in hundreds of cannabis plants being located.

On Wednesday afternoon, Police received information about a possible illegal operation hidden in the heart of Ōtāhuhu.

“An electrician working in the area noticed unusual wiring coming from a warehouse on Queen Street,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward, of Counties Manukau West CIB, says.

“Ventilation pipes were also seen, which gave the telltale signs that the warehouse was being used for illegal activity.

Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Jo Carolan:

Police continue to work at the scene of last night’s fire in Mairehau.

We can now confirm that the child who died in the house fire was a three-year-old girl.

Four other children aged between 10 weeks and five-years-old, were admitted to hospital. The children are siblings of the deceased girl.

Three of the surviving children have been discharged and are in the care of family members. One child, a girl aged two-years-old, remains in hospital in a stable condition, with moderate injuries.

The release issued at 4.17pm on a fatal crash in Selwyn contained incorrect information on the number of vehicles, patients and their conditions.

The crash involved at least three vehicles.

Ambulance services were called for five injured people that were involved in the crash.

Sadly, despite the efforts of emergency personnel, two people were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Three others have injuries that range from moderate to critical.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Police can confirm two people have died in a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 1 / Main South Road in Selwyn around 1.12pm.

Ambulance services were called for four injured people that were involved in the crash.

Sadly, despite the efforts of emergency personnel, two people were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Two others have serious injuries.

Main South Road remains closed as Police make enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media 

One person critically injured in a house fire in Chartwell last weekend has now died.

Emergency services were called to a house fire on Bellmont Avenue, Chartwell about 3am on Saturday 9 May.

Two people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation in a critical condition. One has now sadly died in hospital.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Flowerdew-Brown: 

Two men, aged 21 and 22, have been arrested following a fleeing driver event across Tauranga this morning.

Just after 4:20am, Police observed a vehicle driving at speed on SH2 near Kairua Road.  The vehicle was signalled to stop, however failed to do so, instead completing a U-turn and driving on the wrong side of the road towards the Police vehicle. 

Please attribute to Inspector Renée Perkins Kāpiti Mana Area Commander

A fleeing motorist who allegedly drove while disqualified across Porirua overnight will now face more charges.

At about 12.30 this morning, 14 May, Kāpiti Mana Police identified a vehicle displaying a licence plate that did not match the make and model. Further inquiries revealed the car to be stolen.

The driver was previously disqualified from driving and should not have been behind the wheel.

To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson, Area Investigations Manager:

Officers investigating the murder of Karen Gilbert-Palmer in Pahiatua in October 2025 have completed their enquiries into her death.

Karen, aged 74, was found deceased in her Arthur Street home on 15 October.

Karen’s son, Jeremy Robertson, was quickly identified as a person of interest in relation to her death.

Police can now confirm that Jeremy is considered the only person of interest in this matter, and that nobody else is being sought.

A woman has died in hospital following a bicycle crash that occurred on 27 April in Bay of Plenty. 

The woman was critically injured after hitting a kerb and falling from her bike as she cycled between Tauranga and Mt Maunganui.

She was transported to Waikato Hospital, where she remained in a critical condition.

Sadly, she passed away as a result of her injuries on 13 May.

Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Andrew Maaka disappeared suddenly one Tuesday in west Auckland nearly 35 years ago, ceasing all contact with his family.

Despite an open Police investigation, no one has seen or heard from the known Headhunters associate in that time.

Investigators suspect foul play. Now, Waitematā Police are renewing public appeals for information.

Andrew Michael Maaka, who was 29 at the time, was formally reported missing to Henderson Police by family in early 1992.

Detective Inspector Callum McNeill says the circumstances have been considered suspicious from the outset.