Members of the public who called 111 after allegedly seeing a young man “carrying armfuls of firearms” between houses in Foxton helped lead to a fast arrest, police say.
Officers discovered “stolen firearms and a large amount of ammunition” in a Foxton house after police were alerted by two callers at about 7.30am yesterday.
An 18-year-old Foxton man was arrested yesterday at the Mark Perreau Place property, where police found five firearms and a “large amount” of ammunition.
The two members of the public initially called 111 after witnessing a “strange” scene.
Horowhenua police prevention manager acting Senior Sergeant Peter Vine said the calls “prevented weapons and ammunition falling into the wrong hands”.
“A young man was seen going between houses carrying armfuls of firearms. They thought it was strange so got in touch with us,” Vine said.
Police alleged the “firearms and ammo had been stolen a day earlier”.
“To get that tip-off from a member of the public is just fantastic – they’ve prevented these weapons from getting into the wrong hands and all the harm that goes with that.”
The 18-year-old man was taken into custody without incident, according to police, and is due in court later today.
He has been charged with burglary, four counts of unlawfully possessing a firearm, two counts of unlawfully possessing ammunition, unlawfully being in an enclosed yard, and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.