Gang patch crackdown: Police seize shirt from man who took person to hospital after crash

The Gangs Act - which came into force last week - bans the display of gang patches in public places. Photo / NZME

Police tracked a dirt bike rider to a South Auckland hospital and discovered an associate wearing a Killer Beez T-shirt.

Emergency services responded to an incident in Manurewa on Sunday night where a dirt bike had collided with a car. The dirt bike rider, a gang associate, fled the scene, police said.

Police tracked him to a hospital, where he was found with a patched Killer Beez member.

That man had been wearing a T-shirt showing Killer Beez insignia but had covered it up when entering the hospital.

After speaking with police, the man handed over the T-shirt to officers, with no arrests made.

The incident comes as at least three more people have been arrested in the past 24 hours, for displaying gang patches in public.

The Gangs Act — which came into force last week — bans the display of gang patches in public places.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham said police had arrested three people in Christchurch, Gisborne and west Auckland as part of Operation Nickel.

• Police called to a family harm-related incident in New Brighton on Sunday found a man wearing a Killer Beez t-shirt, which was seized. A 39-year-old Christchurch man will appear in court on Thursday, charged with displaying gang insignia in public.
• Also on Sunday, Gisborne police responded to reports of a car being driven erratically in Elgin.

The car was found and the driver identified as a patched Mangu Kaha member, who had earlier been observed wearing Mangu Kaha trousers in Whakatāne. A 27-year-old man will appear in Gisborne District Court on Monday charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of an offensive weapon, and displaying gang insignia in public.

• On Monday, the 61-year-old president of the Head Hunters West chapter was charged with displaying gang insignia in public and will appear in Waitakere District Court on Friday.

He was identified as one of five motorcyclists wearing patches in the Wellsford area early last Thursday.

Police were encouraged by the levels of compliance with the new law, Basham said.

“For example, in Whakatāne over the weekend, Manga Kahu members attending a hui chose not to wear their patches or display any insignia or regalia.”

As a result, police did not make any arrests.

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