Drama in Paihia when the bank’s offer ends in an armed police raid and a high-speed crash

A blatant attempt by a couple to force a man to withdraw money from his Bay of Islands bank was thwarted yesterday when bank staff, who were on alert, set off a silent alarm that brought armed police to the scene.

A short time later, one suspected criminal was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and kidnapping, while the other was left fighting for his life after a high-speed accident near Moerewa.

A 22-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, believed to be partners, allegedly entered the ASB Bank branch of Paihia with a third person at the corner of Selwyn and Williams Rds shortly after 10:30 a.m. yesterday morning .

Paihia Dive employee Toby Johnston, who works next door to the bank, said he was curious when he heard the shouting from the bank around 10:30 a.m. and got out when he saw police cars go by.

“There were policemen walking everywhere with guns. I saw five or six police cars and about four police officers with guns. There was a buzzing noise. It’s not what you expect at 10.30am on Monday morning in a small town,” he said .

Northland Detective Sergeant Major Kevan Verry said the couple allegedly tried to extort money from the third person, before bank personnel set off the alarm that notified police. Verry said the couple did not bring firearms to the bank.

The couple then allegedly fled and attempted to leave in separate cars, Verry said. The woman, from Paihia, was seized almost immediately by armed police and a police dog about 20 meters down Williams Rd, near Countdown, in a gray Audi.

Verry, also the officer in charge of organized crime, said two loaded firearms were found.

Police did not initially locate the man, who was from Kaikohe, but was later seen in a white Holden Commodore heading toward Moerewa on State Highway 1 by a police vehicle heading south toward Kawakawa, who then monitored the vehicle but did not participate. in a search.

Soon after, the man, who was the sole occupant of the car, crashed into a tree at high speed, tore it apart at the base, and smashed through several concrete posts in a fence that lines the Affco freezing factory.

The man, with serious injuries to his neck and spine, was airlifted to Whangārei Hospital, where he was in stable but serious condition at 7 p.m. yesterday and under police surveillance.

Verry said police were trying to establish the couple’s motive, but believed it was an isolated incident, not one that indicated random attacks on businesses would take place.

“We would like to assure the community that they are safe, we are following strong lines of investigation, but anyone who has information or knows what happened, please contact the police at phone number 105 or via an online form at 105.police . govt.nz. “

The man was charged with breach of bail, but will likely face more charges today. The woman would appear in Kaikohe District Court today.

The Far North Police Area Commander, Inspector Riki Whiu, said the absence of seat belt markings on the man’s body and the fact that he was found outside the vehicle suggests that he was not restrained. Speed ​​was thought to be a factor in the accident.

“For some unknown reason, the vehicle went off the road, lost control at the edge of the grass, went through a fence and collided with trees,” he said.

The man is understood to have been a close associate of the Tribesmen Motorcycle gang.

Yesterday afternoon, the bank was open as usual, albeit with a security guard at the door. The staff seemed unfazed, but directed their questions to ASB’s central office.

An ASB spokesperson said the bank was aware of an “incident” at its Paihia branch and confirmed that no staff or customers were injured, but did not elaborate on the incident.

The spokesperson said that a team of support personnel was attending and that the bank was working with the police on their investigations.

A witness to the incident said a gray Audi pulled up next to Paihia’s central Countdown supermarket before it was immediately blocked by an unmarked police vehicle.

The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said the atmosphere was tense when armed police officers removed the woman from the vehicle.

“It is obvious that we did not know what was happening and when [police] getting out of their vehicles with guns and tasers, you actually worry a bit, especially with what happened recently with the police in Puketona, “he said.

In Puketona last month, a police officer was lucky enough to escape alive after being shot at point-blank range. The men involved are still on the run.