Darryl and Rona White married in 1973. Rona's precious jewellery, including her wedding and engagement rings, were stolen in February this year - six weeks after she died of cancer. Photo / File
Darryl and Rona White married in 1973. Rona's precious jewellery, including her wedding and engagement rings, were stolen in February this year - six weeks after she died of cancer. Photo / File
The Bay of Plenty Times Year in Review takes a look back at 2018 and republishes some of the top stories of the year. These are stories that made headlines in February.
Jewellery theft shocks after wife's death
Darryl White lost his beloved wife, Rona, to cancer in January. Six weeks later, he came home to find her precious jewellery had been stolen from him, too.
"I was just numb. The fact that it hadn't even been six weeks since she passed and some low-life has done this, and it's all we have from her," the 67-year-old said in February.
White arrived at his Cherrywood home after work to find the front door open, blinds shut and things out of place. A window had been forced open.
White said there were expensive items stolen, but the sentimental loss was much more devastating.
Wedding rings, engagement rings, gold bracelets and necklaces, pearls from his mother that she got in Japan, and a precious one-off greenstone necklace were all gone.
"They just tear everyone's hearts apart by doing this," he said.
Police pursuits double
The Bay of Plenty Times reported that the number of police pursuits in the Western Bay of Plenty had nearly doubled, raising concern from police who said the issue was a double-edged sword.
A total of 61 people fled police in the Western Bay from January 2017 to June 2017 - the latest figures available. The figure was almost twice that of the 35 recorded for the same period the year before.
New Zealand Police Association regional representative Scott Thompson at the time said there were many factors behind the increase, but in most cases, the reasons drivers fled were often minuscule compared to the end result.
"It's often they don't have their driver's licence on them, or they are slightly intoxicated, etc. Then after there's been a tragedy that causes their life to be lost or other people's lives to be lost people say, 'Oh, why did the police chase them?'," Thompson said.
He believed there needed to be harsher penalties to deter those who flee.
The <i>Bay of Plenty Times</i> reported that the number of police pursuits in the Western Bay of Plenty had nearly doubled. Photo/File.
Bridges appointed National leader
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges became the leader of the National Party on February 27.
Bridges said he was aiming to surprise in his new role as National's leader, while Paula Bennett retained in the deputy role.
The pair emerged from the caucus vote in February with wide grins after securing the leadership in a vote held behind closed doors.
Bridges said it was an "enormous privilege" to replace Bill English.
The new leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges. Photo/ File
Beekeeper dies in crash
Dylan James Williams should have been celebrating his 25th birthday on February 27, catching up with family and enjoying a few beers with his friends.
But it was a milestone he never got to reach.
Instead, Dylan's loved ones were mourning his death after he was killed when the light truck he was driving went off a farm track in a remote part of Gisborne and rolled down a bank, tumbling more than 20m on the morning of February 25.
The 24-year-old Te Puke beekeeper, affectionately known as "D", had travelled to the Motu area to collect his beehives to bring them back to the Western Bay of Plenty.
Emergency services were called to the remote property at 1.30am.
