Man up on theft charge

A second man wanted for poaching sheep has been arrested by police in Northland.

A second man wanted for allegedly poaching sheep off a Northland farm has been arrested.

Kawakawa police Sergeant Kevin Milne said a 42-year-old man was charged with theft after he was arrested at a Kawakawa house late last week.

Police also recovered a firearm they believe was used to kill a pregnant ewe. They are considering whether further charges would be laid in relation to the firearm.

On September 5, farmers in the Hukerenui area, sick of losing hundreds of stock to poachers, boxed in fleeing men believed to have slaughtered a ewe on a farm in Monument Rd.

The fleeing suspects were blocked at one end of Monument Rd, did a u-turn and were chased until they reached a one-way bridge where a farmer had parked another vehicle.

Police alleged one men fled with a firearm across paddocks towards a river while a second man remained in a 4WD vehicle with the dead sheep when he realised there was no way past the farmers.

On the night, police arrested a 47-year-old Kawakawa man, who was charged with theft. Bernard Tipene appeared in the Kaikohe District Court last week and was remanded on bail to re-appear on October 19.

Theft of stock is punishable by a maximum seven years in jail.