Kaikohe youth charges linked
Police believe some of the teenagers who rampaged through the streets of Kaikohe were also involved in a car crash that killed three cows during a police chase.
On March 23, Ohaeawai farmer Mike Moody was shifting a mob of cows along the road between a paddock and his yards when a stolen car ploughed through the herd, injuring three cows so severely they had to be put down.
Four youths are facing a raft of charges in relation to the incident, Northland Inspector Al Symonds says.
Of these, three are also charged with wilful damage after allegedly trying to break into the Mobil station on March 17.
They were allegedly among 20 youngsters aged 12 to 15 who stole 10 boxes of beer after breaking into The Shed liquor store during the Friday night rampage.
Two teenagers aged 14 and 15, were brought into the Kaikohe Police Station a few days later by their mother. Another young man was identified after a member of his whanau passed his name to
‘‘We are going to change the town - it is a really good town. There are just a few dysfunctional families.’’
Tony Taylor
the police.
‘‘We’re really thankful to the whanau members for their help, they do not want this type of behaviour in the Kaikohe community and the community will no doubt see this as a positive sign,’’ Symonds says.
Mike Moody was devastated after seeing his valuable breeding animals smashed into by the car.
‘‘It’s the fact they weren’t going to stop for me, that’s the thing. I’m grateful I got out of the way and that no humans were hurt.’’
Symonds says there will also be an increased police presence focussing on youth activity in the Kaikohe area over the next few weekends.
Kaikohe community patrol coordinator Tony Taylor is calling for a curfew to be introduced and more police to help curb youth crime.
‘‘We are going to change the town - it is a really good town. There are just a few dysfunctional families.’’
He hopes he can convince the Far North District Council to bring about an emergency bylaw to enforce a curfew. Northland MP Winston Peters says more police are needed in Northland.
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