Police allege P abuse led to violent rampage

A teenage girl and her boyfriend have been charged with committing a violent P-fuelled crime spree across Auckland.

Amy Jane Opetaia, 19, and Quentin Tinau Stephens, 33, appeared in the Auckland District Court to face a total of 23 charges, including theft, burglary, assault, kidnapping and aggravated robbery.

No pleas were entered and the pair were remanded in custody until their next appearance.

One of the joint charges is possession of a methamphetamine pipe, leading police to believe Opetaia and Stephens were high on P at the time.

Court documents show the couple are alleged to have stolen a blue Nissan Pulsar worth $5000 from a Manurewa address on February 1.

The next day, they are alleged to have taken a laptop worth $1800, $100 cash and a $650 mobile phone from a businessman.

The day after that, the alleged offending escalated from a bag snatch to an aggravated assault in a five-hour crime spree around the city.

Opetaia and Stephens have been charged with stealing a $350 leather handbag and contents from a Chinese woman near the Ellerslie train station.

A few hours later, it is alleged, they broke into a Mt Roskill home, and later robbed a couple of a wallet and jewellery.

Shortly afterwards, police say, a 24-year-old man was kidnapped from his flat in Queen St in the central city and forced to withdraw $80 from an ATM in Symonds St.

He had only $89 in his bank account.

The pair then drove to a cafe in Pt Chevalier and Stephens allegedly tried to grab an iPod from the grasp of a 16-year-old boy sitting at an outside table.

A female staff member who tried to help was injured in the fracas, as was a customer who also intervened.

Stephens is facing a grievous bodily harm charge for kicking the man while he lay on the ground. Opetaia and Stephens were arrested afterwards.

Detective Constable Stu Hunt, officer in charge of the inquiry, declined to comment further as the matter was before the courts.

The pair are due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on March 18.