To be attributed to Inspector Mark Oliver, Shift Commander: 

Wellington Police are continuing to try and engage with a person inside a Webb Street building, following a possible sighting of a firearm this afternoon.

At 1.20pm today, Police received a report that a person had been seen with what looked like a firearm in their pocket.

Police located the person at a Webb Street property a short time later, however the person has so far refused to engage with Police or to exit the building.

Police are excited to invite media to the launch of the Henderson Beat Team, which began patrolling this week.

A launch event will be held in Henderson on Friday morning.

Waitematā West Area Commander Inspector Simon Walker and Minister of Police Mark Mitchell will launch the team.

Media are asked to RSVP to [email protected]. Please arrive before the start time to allow time to set up.

Police are appealing to the public for information on the whereabouts of Nerehana Tetahi Wall, 35, who has a warrant for his arrest.

Police believe someone may have information on his whereabouts.

Wall is known to have connections in the Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Waikato and Wellington.

Anyone with information is urged not to approach him and instead to call 111 immediately and quote file number 250902/9473.

Alternatively information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre.

A repeat shoplifter with a warrant for his arrest will face court after being caught red-handed in Howick yesterday.

Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager Inspector Rakana Cook says the Area Prevention Unit had been seeking the 45-year-old man, as he was wanted in connection with $2,500 of shoplifting from a Howick supermarket in recent days.

Police had information this man was still active in the east Auckland area.

Police are continuing the search and examination of what is believed to be the main campsite of Tom Phillips and his children in recent months.

Police have arrested a 44-year-old man in relation to the theft of a significant bronze sculpture from the Mt Pleasant Community Centre.

The man will appear in Christchurch District Court on 16 September on a charge of theft.

“The theft of the sculpture has deeply upset the community, and Police have worked hard to locate the artwork and identify the person responsible” says Acting Detective Sergeant Steph Trengrove.

To be attributed to Inspector Paul Reeves, Response Manager:

A woman has been taken into police custody following a house fire in Epsom Road, Sockburn this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the address at 3.10pm today.

The woman was the sole occupant of the house and refused to leave when emergency services arrived.

While there was no risk to the wider community, cordons were put in place around the house to enable emergency services to work safely at the scene.

Police are today releasing photos of one of the campsites where Tom Phillips and his children were hiding prior to Monday morning’s shooting at Waitomo.

The makeshift camp was located by specialist Police, acting on information from one of the children, about 2 kilometres from the scene where Phillips died after he shot and critically injured a Police officer.

A large-scale investigation is continuing into the shooting, which happened about 3.25am on Monday on Te Anga Road.

Media are asked to remove the additional charges listed in our original media release on the youth charged with the murder of Kaea Karauria, as ordered by the Judge in Napier Youth Court today.

This is due to the charges being a separate matter to the murder charge, and these charges will go through separate Court proceedings.

We ask media to please update any stories to reflect this.

Thank you for your understanding.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre