Eastern district news

Death following 28 May crash, SH 5, Tarawera

rpel50 — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 05:31:11 +0000

Location:

Eastern

A person has died following a crash on State Highway 5, Tarawera earlier this week.

The person was critically injured in the crash on 28 May and was airlifted to hospital.

Sadly they passed away in hospital on 31 May.

Police extend our sympathies to their family and loved ones.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.

Police to have visible presence in Central Hawke's Bay over long weekend

rpel50 — Fri, 30 May 2025 04:02:56 +0000

Location:

Eastern

To be attributed to Inspector Lincoln Sycamore, Hawke’s Bay Area Commander:

Hawke’s Bay Police will be maintaining a visible presence in Central Hawke’s Bay over King’s Birthday Weekend, with a large gathering of gang members taking place in the area.

While the gathering will take place over the weekend at a marae that is away from main roads, Police do expect some travel around Central Hawke’s Bay by the gang members, particularly on the morning of Sunday 1 June.

Name release: Fatal crash, Wairoa

nlnqs3 — Mon, 26 May 2025 03:36:01 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash on Kopu Road in Wairoa on 18 May.

He was Gene Hyrem Popata, 39, from Wairoa.

Police extend our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Witnesses sought after series of assaults in Gisborne

hse179 — Sat, 24 May 2025 23:24:14 +0000

Location:

Eastern

The incident occurred around 1.30pm on Saturday 24 May and involved several people being assaulted in and around Gladstone Road and Lowe Street.

Two men before the courts after firearms incident

bnjhy3 — Fri, 23 May 2025 05:49:28 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Please attribute to Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Darren Pritchard

Two men have been arrested in Gisborne this afternoon, following an incident involving a firearm earlier today.

At around 6:30am today Police were called to an address on Colin Street after receiving reports of two vehicles being damaged, and a firearm presented at the occupants of the address.

Armed Police attended and two men, aged 29 and 50 were taken into custody at the scene.

A search of a nearby address resulted in Police locating two firearms.

Show’s over for man arrested with instruments of burglary

nlnqs3 — Fri, 23 May 2025 03:07:32 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Police have arrested a man committing a string of burglaries this morning in Napier, in what a local officer is calling great back-to-basics Police work.

Senior Sergeant Su Robinson, Napier Response Manager, says: “At around 8am, a male was seen trying to open a person’s garage door, before leaving in a vehicle of interest.

“Officers had seen the vehicle acting suspiciously earlier and quickly identified the driver as a person of interest, also.

Name release: Fatal crash, Takapau

nlnqs3 — Thu, 22 May 2025 04:51:24 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Police can now release the name of the person who died in the two-vehicle crash on State Highway 2 near Takapau, on Tuesday 13 May.

He was Tony Paul Saunders, 55, of Norsewood.

Police extend their sympathies to his family and friends at this difficult time.

The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

ENDS

Man sought by Gisborne Police arrested

jtenk9 — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:03:20 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Police have located a 36-year-old man who is alleged to have escaped Police custody at a rural Gisborne property yesterday.

The man was observed returning home shortly after 11pm and was arrested without incident, said Inspector Soni Malaulau, Tairāwhiti Police.

“He was cold but otherwise unharmed.”

Enquiries are continuing and Police are considering charges.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Police urge the public to report any unlawful dirt bike riding on our roads

fljpp1 — Wed, 21 May 2025 07:01:09 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Hawke’s Bay Police are asking the public for information to stop dirt bike riders in their tracks, before they cause more serious harm.

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith says a woman and a young boy have been injured recently in two separate incidents due to "dangerous, and frankly stupid" behaviour by people on dirt bikes.

Last week on Wednesday an 8-year-old boy suffered a broken bone in his leg after being hit by a dirt bike rider in Flaxmere.

Three arrests in Wairoa in relation to weekend incidents

rpel50 — Tue, 20 May 2025 02:57:21 +0000

Location:

Eastern

Three Wairoa men are before the courts following three separate, unrelated incidents in the town over the weekend.