Arrest for theft of Sione's Wedding tape

An Auckland man has been charged with stealing a pre-release copy of the film Sione's Wedding from a production house, it was announced today.

Pirated versions of Sione's Wedding were widely distributed throughout New Zealand prior to the film's premiere on March 30.

The New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft (NZFACT) said today the 38-year-old arrested man worked at an Auckland company providing post-production services for the film.

He would appear in Auckland District Court on June 15.

NZFACT director of operations Tony Eaton said the arrest sent a clear message that copyright theft was just as serious as property theft.

"What's important is for people to understand that when they take movies for free off the internet, or for next to nothing from a pirate street vendor, they are killing the thing they love.

"They are killing the movie business. And they are killing first of all the local movie business."

Last month more than 250 pirated movies, including Sione's Wedding and River Queen, were seized from a South Auckland house along with a list of more than 500 names, believed to have bought pirated videos.

Separate to the latest case, Archie Jacobsen, 29, was charged with illegally copying and selling films and using a computer for dishonest practices and remanded on bail to a later date.

The offences carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison or a fine of up to $150,000.

- NZPA