KEY POINTS:
The police team investigating the theft of 96 war medals from the Waiouru Army Museum is closing down the inquiry base at the military camp.
Instead, the team will continue Operation Valour out of the Taumarunui Police Station.
Investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Bensemann said general inquiries in the Waiouru area had been largely completed, and the operation could efficiently continue working out of Taumarunui.
The medals - including nine Victoria Crosses - were stolen from the museum in the early hours of December 2.
Mr Bensemann said it was disappointing the medals had not yet been located.
However, he said police remained positive and focused on the goal of recovering the medals and apprehending the offenders.
"Somebody out there knows where the medals are and who committed the burglary."
They should come forward and contact the inquiry team, he said.
Mr Bensemann thanked the Army for housing and feeding the inquiry team while they had stayed at the base.
On Tuesday afternoon, police executed search warrants, including one at a Waiouru army base work area.
Detective Dennis O'Rourke said the searches were following up leads revealed in interviews with Waiouru residents.
The investigation so far had no formal suspects, but they were focusing on a number of "people of interest".
"We've had a number of persons nominated as possibles, you get that in any inquiry, and what you have to do is either brick them in or show that they couldn't have committed the offence.
"We're still following a number of what we think are interesting leads. We certainly haven't given up hope at all, we're still confident we'll get a successful result," he said.
- NZPA
