Vehicle set alight; may be linked to shooting

KERIKERI: Northland police hunting two gunmen who opened fire unprovoked on a lone policewoman yesterday morning are also actively investigating a kidnapping near Waipapa late on Monday night.

The officer was not wounded in the earlymorning incident northwest of Kerikeri, which forced the closure of State Highway 11.

Officers are now working to identify and locate the vehicle and men involved in the morning's shooting.

Northland investigations manager Detective Inspector

Dene Begbie said police were also investigating a kidnapping and cartorching incident reported near Waipapa the previous night.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident after the male victim of the reported kidnapping approached a Matauri Bay house asking for help.

``Thankfully this man has not sustained serious injuries during the incident and he is speaking with us to ascertain a full set of circumstances.

``Police have located a vehicle of interest to this inquiry,'' Det Insp Begbie said.

``This vehicle, a grey 2010 Nissan Skyline, was set alight on Puketotara Rd near Okaihau at around 4.50am.''

The armed offenders squad was deployed to the Matauri Bay area due the seriousness with which police are treating these matters, Det Insp Begbie said.

``We are still working to establish if the vehicle involved in the kidnapping matter was the same vehicle used in the State Highway 11 incident.

``Both occupants who got out were believe to be male, were masked and of solid build.''

Police believe the vehicle involved was a silver or grey sedan, Det Insp Begbie said.

``Given we are still establishing the circumstances of this incident, Police are limited in further comment at this stage.''

Meanwhile, the officer shot at was being given support.

``They are understandably shaken by the incident and I commend the actions this officer took to ensure their own safety,'' Det Insp Begbie said.

Police said about 4.13am yesterday a car pulled out in front of a police vehicle and stopped in the middle of the road on

State Highway 11 near the Puketona Junction with State Highway 10.

Before the officer could get out of the patrol car, two men got out of their car and aimed guns at her.

The officer immediately retreated but one shot was fired at the vehicle which shattered the windscreen. The officer was not harmed and quickly left the scene and called for backup.

``This kind of incident is totally unacceptable and of concern to both police and our community,'' Det Insp Begbie said. — Northern Advocate