Man on run for five months arrested after jewellery thefts worth more than $200,000

Nelson Bays Tactical Crime Unit's Sergeant Dale Smith said the car was spotted by a police patrol car at Tötara Flats, near Greymouth, around 2.30pm. Photo / File

A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the theft of jewellery worth more than $200,000 across the Tasman District.

Christopher Payne, who has been wanted by the police since January in relation to 19 alleged burglaries, was arrested late yesterday afternoon near Greymouth.

Nelson Bays Tactical Crime Unit's Sergeant Dale Smith said Payne was located in Tötara Flats, near Greymouth, after being spotted by a passing police patrol car around 2.30pm.

The car was recognised as one allegedly used in a burglary in Motueka in the early hours of Friday May 25. Police followed the car before the driver pulled over.

Two men fled on foot onto a rural property.

A police dog team located them on the property and the pair were arrested.

Payne also faces two drugs-related charges and was due to appear in the Greymouth District Court on June 13.

The driver of the car, Daniel Taaffe, 36, was charged with four counts of burglary in May – two in Nelson Bays, one in Greymouth and another in Hokitika, as well as failing to stop and dangerous driving.

Taaffe is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on June 18.

Smith said the arrests came as a huge relief to police and to the men's alleged victims across the Nelson Bays and Tasman area.

"The jewellery included items of great sentimental value, some of which had belonged to victims' deceased family members," Smith said.

He said the burglaries had had a huge impact on people who had lost items they may never see again, and victims had been appreciative of the work done by police.

A lot of the jewellery has not been recovered.

If you think you might be a victim of theft, police encourage anyone to contact their local police station. If you see a crime being committed call 111 in the first instance.