He's even lost his gumboots

Police warn they will seize all items of thieves, even boots. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Police seized everything, down to his gumboots, when they arrested a 45-year-old man from Te Wahapu Peninsula, near Russell, for allegedly stealing from a Russell oyster farm late on Saturday afternoon.

And they will be asking the court to order them forfeited permanently.

A week after two boats and 600kg of oysters were seized by police in Te Puna Inlet, north of Kerikeri, Constable Mike Gorrie (Russell) received a report that someone in a boat had been seen taking oysters from a farm off Russell-Whakapara Road.

Constable Gorrie found a ute and trailer hidden out of sight of the road, and kept an eye on the boat, which at one stage disappeared around a headland.

When the man returned to his vehicle he had 38 oysters, but another witness said he had gone ashore further up the coast and hidden two buckets in the bush. A search there uncovered about 700 oysters.

The man refused to be arrested and threatened the officer, becoming co-operative only when a Taser was pointed at him. Even then he resisted being handcuffed.

The man, who Constable Gorrie said had been warned in the past about taking oysters, was charged with theft, resisting police and threatening behaviour/language, and was held in the Whangarei police cells before appearing in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday. Police planned to oppose bail.

Constable Gorrie said all property used to carry out the alleged theft had been seized, including the ute, trailer, runabout, outboard motor, flippers, wetsuit, head torches, a tomahawk used to chip oysters off the racks, even his gumboots.

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

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

He thanked members of the public who had reported the theft, and had gone to his assistance during the arrest.

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