Taupō Police news: A sad week for police whānau

Police raid properties associated with the Mongols gang near Te Puke on Tuesday. Photo / NZ Herald

Tēnā koutou katoa. This is my last week in the chair relieving as the OC Response for Taupō.

Next week Senior Sergeant Fane Troy will be taking over, one of many rotations of position that will occur at the beginning of July.

One of the benefits of working for the police is the wide variety in terms of roles, while working for the same organisation. This rotation through different positions provides new challenges and opportunities, as well as making us a stronger organisation overall. We also continue to receive new recruits keen to start on their careers, with two currently going through college at the moment.

This week our flag flies at half-mast out of respect to Constable Matt Hunt. Matt's death is an absolute tragedy and one that hits home pretty hard, not only to our police whānau but also to the community at large.

We appreciate the support shown and our thoughts are with Matt's family and work colleagues at this difficult time.

You would have seen the outstanding results reported on Tuesday from the organised crime operation in the Bay of Plenty, targeting the Mongols gang and resulting in the recovery of drugs, cash and firearms.

This work is ongoing, with police continually increasing the focus on gangs and organised crime to ensure that our communities remain safe. The presence of these gangs doesn't benefit anyone other than themselves, and we encourage anyone with information to pass it on, helping us to prevent crime and harm.

Sergeant Vanessa Meharry, Taupō Police. Photo / File

In terms of the past week here in Taupō we have had fewer calls for service, with 61 reported incidents. We have however seen an increase in burglaries and car related crime, which have been spread across Taupō geographically and generally happening overnight.

We encourage people to remove valuables from their vehicles, removing the temptation, but particularly so for those items that aren't easily replaced or are of sentimental value. Keep your vehicles locked and the keys secure. If you see anything you think is suspicious, we are keen to know. If it is happening now, call us on 111, alternatively, for non-urgent or historic matters our 105 line is available 24/7. Keep safe.

Ngā mihi, Vanessa Meharry