Police arrest 'gang' after crime spree

File photo / Richard Robinson

Wellington police have arrested a "gang of young men", who allegedly have links to street-racing, following a crime spree in the district.

Eight men face numerous charges including burglary, receiving stolen goods, theft of motor vehicles, possession and cultivation of cannabis and participating in an organised crime group.

"We believe these eight people we have arrested have links to illegal street-racing groups within the Wellington district and have been using stand over tactics, intimidation and violence towards these groups," Lower Hutt police area commander, Inspector Richard Chambers, said.

Police made the arrests after executing 13 search warrants today and yesterday in Naenae, Moera, Petone, Wainuiomata, Makara, Khandallah, Wilton, Tawa, Titahi Bay and Plimmerton.

Property seized included about 300 shotgun rounds, four stolen vehicles, a motorcycle, televisions, laptops and household electrical items.

Mr Chambers said police had been gathering "strong evidence" about the group's activities over the past few weeks.

"This operation demonstrates the way in which police are able to gather intelligence across the district and work together to crack down on organised crime groups like this," he said.

He said it was unusual for police to arrest and charge people with participating as an organised group, such as a gang, specifically for criminal gain.

Police also believed the group had links to several serious violent incidents in recent months including a firearms incident in Lower Hutt in August.

More charges and arrests were likely as police investigations continued, he said.

More than 60 police staff from across the Hutt Valley, Wellington and Kapiti-Mana areas, including armed offenders squad members, were involved in the operation.

- NZPA