A 20-year-old Kaitaia man who allegedly robbed two German tourists in Kaitaia in the early hours of Sunday morning was yesterday remanded in custody until Friday next week.
Devaray Heremaia Cole appeared before a JP in the Kaitaia District Court on two charges of aggravated robbery and one of wilfuldamage. According to the charge sheets he got away with $85.
Cole was arrested after the tourists told police that two men had attacked the van they were sleeping in a Kaitaia service lane, smashing the windows then demanding their wallets, which they handed over. One of the victims was struck in the face, although it was not clear whether that was with a fist or the piece of wood that was used to smash the windows.
Police were still looking for the second offender at edition time yesterday.
The victims had been living in their van behind Archibald Motors since it broke down on Friday, Archibald's spokesman Clayton Murray saying they were waiting for spare parts to arrive. Archibald's had now given them a car so they could at least "tiki tour a bit" while they waited, and had had a whip-around to raise a few dollars for them.
"If anyone else would like to drop some money into the container in the front counter, and maybe redeem ourselves a little, they are welcome to do so," Mr Murray said.
"It's all over Facebook too, so hopefully some good will come of this."
