Does anyone know anything about the Te Kowhai Store theft?

A helper from Te Kowhai Community Group

This Wednesday 13 November 6.30pm

Representatives from FMG Insurance / Federated Farmers / Police are holding a Crime Prevention meeting at Arohena Hall.
Arohena and Wharepapa South people have been very proactive in bringing their 2 communities together. They have put a lot of their time and money into making Neighbourhood Support work and installing their own CCTV systems. Come along to the meeting and lets see how these representatives maybe able to enhance the efforts made by people in these communities.

Te Kowhai

Does anyone know a Rannit Singh who may have lost or had stolen an orange notebook with the Skinny Mobile logo on the front cover? The notes in the book are about Union rules and collective agreements. Someone has scrawled 'Westside' over the notes.

This book was retrieved by the Te Kowhai Dairy owner when 4 youths entered his store on Friday 1 November, helped themselves to armfuls of drinks, food and ice creams then ran from the store. The owner tackled one young chap but then his mates turned their vehicle around and tried to run the Dairy owner over so they all managed to get away. Police were called but did not attend. We do not have a description of the vehicle but we do have video footage of the offenders inside the store.

It must be near on 2 years now since the Te Kowhai Community Group did a survey to see if CCTV was wanted in the village. There was a very poor response to the survey and so nothing has been done. Since the survey we have had 2 x Home invasions. Valuable vehicles stolen, Burglaries and how many times has the Te Kowhai Dairy suffered armed robberies and burglaries?How long are you people going to put up with this?

Commsafe is only too happy to attend a public meeting and bring police with them to explain the advantages of CCTV and dispel any myths or preconceived ideas citizens may harbour. We can also tell you how well the CCTV is working in Arohena and Wharepapa South.

Ngahinapouri

Thursday 24 October we had some residents on Kakaramea Road advise that at 7.30am they found a chap aged between 40 - 50yrs about 6ft tall, carrying a small backpack, standing outside their shed. He said that he was waiting to get picked up. That seemed strange. Why was he not waiting out on the road if that was the case. He asked to use the phone and once this was accomplished he left after asking if the residents needed any painting done. There is some confusion as to whether the gentleman was wearing a white tee shirt and blue jeans spattered in paint at the time or if he was wearing painter's overalls. The residents checked their shed and nothing appeared missing but items appeared to have been moved.

We now understand there have been further incidents in the area similar to this one. We are looking at Kakaramea Road near the Berker Road intersection for this 1st incident.

Hams Road

Still in that Ngahinapouri area.

Local residents had noticed a gold car parked up in their road for about 3 days around 1st of November time. Around the same time a local resident, whose property is well off the road,found that he was missing $300.00 worth of waratah stakes from behind his garage. They ranged in size 1.8 and 1.5 metres

Then this past weekend we had people in a black and grey Mitsubishi Delica van registration starting with KGM traveling up neighbors driveways in Hams Road, asking if anyone knew where Dean Anderson lived. They drove past the main house on one driveway and past the implement shed to a smaller house on the same property, to make their inquiry.

Waikeria Road

Friday 8 November at 1800 hours a white ute is seen being driven up various driveways.It travelled up to a farmer's house which is some 100 metres off of the roadway. As soon as the vehicles occupants saw someone was at home they drove off in a big hurry. The farmer attempted to follow them but to no avail. Registration plates on the vehicle were deliberately obscured

Kaipaki - Parallel Road area

Similar occurrence to the above. Two occupants in a silver double cab Ford Courier Ute registration WY3861, drive up long driveway 8/11/19 at 6.30am and try to steal a dirt bike from the workshop on the property. They are caught in the act. They left. They were chased by the owner but again to no avail. One guy was wearing a black hoodie the other had a black cap and pants and a green top.

Te Awamutu

Elderly lady living on her own in Reynolds Road receives a knock on the door at 8.30pm on Friday 8/11/19. Young lady asks to come inside and is told, no. Young lady says she is looking for number 66 Reynolds and Elderly lady says this is not 66. Young woman asks to come inside again, then says that the people in the front house had said that elderly ladies house was number 66. Young lady does not get to go inside the house and so she leaves. Elderly lady rings her front neighbour and neighbor says they have not spoken to anyone.

We think elderly lady may well have dodged a bullet. Certainly did the right thing by refusing to allow the young lady to enter her house.

Interesting statistics

In N.Z every 5 minutes there is a family violence incident attended to by police. This takes up 41% of a front line Constable's duty time.

76% of family violence incidents are NOT reported to police.

A Question

If, in a civil defense emergency you needed to leave your home, where would your nearest Civil Defense assembly area be?

If, like us, you said local school, you would be wrong.

We will give the correct answer next newsletter.

Thanks folks

Darryl Nix

Trustee Commsafe