CASH REWARDS TO FIGHT ROBBERS

Exclusive Taskforces, rewards planned, writes senior police reporter Anna Leask New measures part of

Anationwide campaign is kicking off today targeting people who receive and deal stolen property from aggravated robberies. The campaign — There’s Nothing Good About Stolen Goods — is a police response to the steady stream of aggravated robberies at dairies, service stations and other small retailers.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush revealed to the Herald that, alongside new robbery-specific taskforces and throwing more staff into foot patrols to thwart thieves, cash rewards would also be offered.

According to police data, 587 aggravated robberies were reported nationwide in January and February this year, compared with 486 during the same period in 2016.

The campaign launch comes soon after the violent robbery of the Kingsford Superette in Mangere.

On May 16 Vikas Dubey believed he was going to be killed when a group of hooded males, armed with machetes, stormed into the store.

He was punched and knocked out. When he woke there was a knife at his throat.

Four people aged 15, 17, 18 and 20 were arrested and charged.

A week earlier a Gull service station was robbed near Hastings.

At 1.30am a man armed with a firearm entered the service station and demanded cash and tobacco from the attendant.

He then fled with the help of a female getaway driver.

“Police are deeply concerned about the rise in this violent crime — due to its significant impact on small business owners and their workers and communities,” Bush told the Herald.

“Additional police resources have been directed to focus on the increase in aggravated robberies that we have seen recently, with new taskforces dedicated to catching offenders, additional staff on patrol and supporting retailers to undertake preventive activities.

“The campaign we’re announcing today provides us with another tool to tackle aggravated robberies.”

In Auckland a taskforce of 20 officers would focus solely on the robberies.

“By targeting those who profit from these crimes by trading in stolen shop and dairy goods such as cigarettes and alcohol, we’re aiming to make a serious dent in the opportunity for these crimes to be committed.”

Bush said the campaign was part of the police response to the recent spike in violent robberies occurring in some communities, particularly in South Auckland.

As part of the campaign, police will be running a series of ads on social media and on their national and district Facebook pages encouraging people to call Crimestoppers if they have any information on stolen goods from aggravated robberies.

“Crimestoppers is an avenue that police use to enable members of the community to provide information on crimes anonymously, and we encourage anyone who has information which could help us identify offenders to use that option if they are not comfortable contacting their local police or providing their details to us,” Bush said. “Police will be offering a reward for any information provided to Crimestoppers as part of this stolen goods campaign that leads to a successful prosecution.”

To be eligible for a reward, tipsters will need to provide their details to Crimestoppers when they call.

How you can help

Another aggravated robbery.

Another shop owner left traumatised, possibly injured and definitely out of pocket.

This type of offending is on the increase.

It’s happening all over the country, in dairies, petrol stations and superettes, and particularly in South Auckland.

We share the deep public concern about this offending and its impact upon victims in our vulnerable communities.

New Zealanders have had enough and are rightly asking what their police are doing about it.

To our small business owners, I say: We are there for you.

We care deeply about robbery victims. Dedicated and resourceful police staff are working tirelessly to make you safer and help achieve justice should the worst happen.

We can’t put an officer on permanent guard outside every dairy or liquor store but we are putting many extra resources on to the streets.

High-visibility patrols, in high-risk areas at high-risk times, deter offenders and improve response times if something does happen.

We have formed a special taskforce to focus on aggravated robbery, using street-level intelligence and social media as an investigative tool.

The new taskforce will be made up of more than 20 officers working across Auckland.

This taskforce is in addition to the