Oyster suspects loses all his gear - down to his gumboots

Police seized everything down to the suspect's gumboots. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A Far North man had everything from his boat down to his gumboots seized after he was allegedly caught stealing from a Russell oyster farm.

The bust comes just a week after two boats and 600kg of oysters were seized by police in Te Puna Inlet north of Kerikeri.

In the latest case Constable Mike Gorrie, of Russell police, said a member of the public reported seeing someone in a small runabout taking oysters from a farm off Russell-Whakapara Rd about 5.40pm on Saturday.

Mr Gorrie went to investigate and noticed a Holden Rodeo ute and trailer hidden out of sight of the road. He kept an eye on the boat, which at one stage disappeared around a headland, and met the man as he returned to his ute. A search of his boat located just 38 oysters.

However, another witness said the man had gone ashore further up the coast and hidden two buckets in the bush. A search uncovered buckets containing about 700 oysters.

The man refused to be cooperate and threatened the officer. He became more cooperative only when the laser sights of a Taser were pointed at him and he was told he risked a 50,000V shock.

Even then he resisted being handcuffed, Mr Gorrie said.

The 45-year-old from Te Wahapu Peninsula, near Russell, was charged with theft, resisting police and threatening behaviour/language.

He was held in the Whangarei police cells for the weekend and appeared in Kaikohe District Court on Monday. He was denied bail and is due back in court on Thursday.

Mr Gorrie said all property used to carry out the crime had been seized. That included the man's ute, trailer, aluminium runabout, outboard motor, flippers, wetsuit, head torches and a tomahawk used to chip oysters off the racks.

Even his gumboots had been seized.

Police would ask the courts for forfeiture of the goods.

The oysters, worth about $1000, were returned to the farmer.

Mr Gorrie said the man had been warned previously for taking oysters.

"We have seized everything used in the crime, down to his gumboots, and we'll do the same to anyone who is caught," he said.

"This farm gets hit every season by a multitude of people but we're fighting back."

Mr Gorrie thanked members of the public who had reported the theft and come to his assistance during the arrest.

On September 25 Kerikeri police seized two boats and 600kg of oysters at Te Tii.

One man was arrested at the scene; two others abandoned their boat and fled on foot. At last report they were still being sought by police.