Four face courts
Cambridge Police have apprehended four alleged prolific dishonesty offenders following a search warrant and a quick tip from locals last week.
Two of the offenders, women aged 46 and 48, are charged with burglary and receiving in relation to two commercial burglaries in Tïrau on Thursday 9 May.
At their Cambridge address, police executing a search warrant recovered stolen property believed to have been taken in one of the Tirau burglaries.
“Cambridge Police have been investigating this duo for some time but weren’t able to link them to offending committed in the Waikato,” says Senior Sergeant Ben Joll.
“We ended up looking beyond the Waikato and with the help of our colleagues in Taupo, police we were able to connect them to the burglaries in Tirau, from there we have uncovered a raft of stolen property.”
Police recovered stolen property understood to be connected to a number of other burglaries in the Waikato and beyond our district.
The pair appear to have been targeting farm supply businesses and construction sites.
Among the items recovered was farm fencing, gates, electric fencing, a trailer, water tank, railway sleepers, jockey wheels and electrical tools.
“We now have a small team working through cataloguing all the stolen items to figure out what was taken from where,” says Cambridge Senior Sergeant Joll.
“Putting a stop to this offending is a great result for our community, businesses and particularly rural residents.”
One of the women has been remanded in custody and the other bailed to appear in the Hamilton District Court over the coming weeks with further charges likely.
The second pair of offenders, a man and a woman, were caught by police shortly after a report of shoplifting at a local Cambridge store that same Thursday.
A report from a local shop owner said a man and woman had entered their store and allegedly stole $13,000 worth of goods, leaving the scene in a vehicle.
Police were conducting patrols in the area for the vehicle in when they saw the pair behaving suspiciously .
Follow up enquiries later identified the two people as those who had been in the store earlier.
“It just goes to show how important making those reports in real time can be in apprehending people offending in our community,” says Joll.
The 41-year-old man had a warrant to arrest, and the 33-year-old woman was required to arrest.
Both have been remanded in custody and are facing numerous shoplifting charges. They are due to reappear in Hamilton District Court later this month.
“Making these arrests is an excellent result for community and retailers who suffer financially in this current economic climate” says Joll.
30 May
Garry Edge dies
Former champion jockey Garry Edge of Cambridge has died aged 84. In recent years Edge ran an agistment farm in St Kilda Road. He rode 740 winners in New Zealand with his first win coming in 1955 at Te Aroha on Sweet Wren. He went onto name his farm after her. Edge’s group one victories came in 1964 on Auckland Cup winner Senor and in 1972 at the Australian Cup on Jan’s Beau. The first horse Edge ever sat on was Foxbridge when he was only 4 when his father took him to Trewlaney Stud to see the champion. English-bred Foxbridge became New Zealand’s champion sire and champion broodmare sire for 11 straight years, back in the late 1930s and 1940s.
More to come
Five die in crash
Five people have died following a head-on crash on State Highway 3/Ōhaupō Road last night. Emergency services were called to the scene just before 4:45pm. Police say three occupants of one vehicle, and two occupants of the other vehicle all died at the scene.
A crash in which five people died yesterday involved one vehicle crossing the centre line, police say. Road conditions were dry and clear.
State Highway 3 in Ōhaupō has reopened after the crash between Jary Rd and Ngaroto Rd.
Inspector Jeff Penno, Waikato Road Policing Manager said formal identification would take some time.
He also warned road users, police would be out in force on Waikato roads over the King’s Birthday Holiday weekend and would stop people who were offending.
$6m to upgrade
The now closed Te Awamutu Museum building in Roche Street. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Seismic strengthening of Waipā District Council’s building at 135 Roche Street – formerly home to Te Awamutu Museum and some council staff – has been costed at nearly $6 million. Work could be completed by July next year, the council heard this week. The building closed in October 2022 after a seismic assessment deemed it an earthquake risk.
Airport all go
Hamilton Airport precinct.
Mediation in the Environment Court has resulted in the resolution of an appeal by the Royal Forest and Bird Society to a plan change in Hamilton Airport’s northern precinct. Gone are rules relating to bat habitat in the zone and the inclusion of new provisions relating to compensation land outside the plan change area.
New reps
Te Kiiri Tauta, Poto Davies, Helen Hughes and Bruce Clarkson have been appointed to the Maungatautari Reserve committee. Waipā councillor Mike Montgomerie remains as chair with consultant Geoff Canham on the committee. Appointments are still to be made by Ngāti Hauā and the Conservation Department.
Interim CEO
Ken Morris
Ken Morris has been appointed interim chief executive when outgoing chief executive Garry Dyet retires at the end of next month. New CEO Steph O’Sullivan – who met Waipā senior staff last week – is expected to start on August 26 on a five-year contract. She is chief executive at Whakatāne District Council.
SH1B to go
Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency’s SH1B from Cambridge to Taupiri will become a local road and revert to Waipā and Waikato district councils’ control. The date is subject to legal processes. Before handover the agency will plan work which includes replacement of a culvert under the state highway outside the Hautapu Dairy Factory.
Safety work
Pedestrian safety improvements have begun at the Cook Street and Shakespeare Street roundabout in Leamington. The work involves widening the footpath along Cook St from the High Level Bridge to Shakespeare St and installing a raised safety platform. The work is expected to take six weeks.
Street face lift
A series of improvements are underway in Cambridge’s historic Hall Street. The work aims to reduce the flooding and fix road surfaces as well as improving pedestrian safety at key intersections. Arborists recommended the council start work in the autumn months as that is the optimum time to ensure the protection of the street’s impressive trees.
Residents honoured
Peter Carr with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro.
Waipā residents Megan Balks and Peter Carr were honoured last week. Cambridge’s Peter Carr, a columnist in The News, received a Queen’s Service Medal for services to the community and Balks, of Te Awamutu, the New Zealand Antarctic Medal for services to Antarctic soil science.
Megan Balks with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro.
Pirongia changes
Elizabeth Eden is the new Te Pahu and Tai Huata the Purekireki Marae committee representatives on the Pirongia ward committee. They replace Allan Rawlings and Haupai Puke on the committee chaired by Waipā councillor Clare St Pierre. Other representatives include Andrew Reymer, Ruth Webb, Jan Thomas and Janet Williams.
