Security expert warns theft risk at radioactive site near NZDF can't be discounted
He made the comments as a report obtained by the Herald under the Official Information Act (OIA) warned storing the country's radioactive
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NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Head Hunters among rival gangs allegedly using corrupt baggage handlers to smuggle drugs through Auckland airport
The Head Hunters and members of rival gangs were allegedly using the same network of corrupt baggage handlers at Auckland airport to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of drugs into the country, the Herald can reveal. A total of 15 baggage handlers have been arrested since June following Operation Matata, a
NZ Herald
17 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Vector contractor tows Auckland man's prized British sports car - then can't find it
Blackburn first discovered his car was missing on Thursday, and suspected it had been towed so Vector could carry out electrical works on his street in Milford. Adrian Blackburn's 1998 MG F Rover was missing for two days after Vector contractors towed it to carry out electrical works on his street in Auckland. In a post on his Facebook page, Blackburn said he was informed by other locals that Vector had been replacing a large concrete power pole, and some vehicles had been towed to prevent any potential damage to them. He noted the emailed notices warning of work in the area hadn't specified where exactly the work was being done and made no mention of residents needing to move their vehicles. A neighbour told Blackburn someone had knocked on his door asking him to shift his van, and mentioned another neighbour's vehicle had been moved to the next road over. 'I started walking, checking both the street where my car had been parked, then neighbouring streets. No MG. A perimeter of a good 400 metres. Plenty of free kerb space for it to be parked safely again,' Blackburn said. 'Dude, where's my car?' he wrote. He then contacted Vector's help desk, and the woman on the phone was unable to find any details about where his car was. She sent a report through to the resolution team, he said. He later received an email from Vector, saying vehicles would generally be moved to nearby streets. 'We kindly suggest you do a neighbourhood check of close by streets whilst we enquire with our field services team,' the email said. Blackburn then called the help desk again, asking which towing company might have moved the car, and to where. He was unable to get any answers. He questioned why Vector did not contact owners to let them know their cars were about to be moved, possibly by getting their contact details through NZTA. He felt the company should operate with 'normal courtesies of prior notice and respectful communications' about its plans. Blackburn was able to find out online that towing companies are required to advise police when they tow a car, so today called police to see if they had any news. When the Herald called him today, he had just found his car after police gave him the address it had been towed to, several hundred metres from its original spot. 'I came down this road very carefully and didn't spot it at the time,' he said. '[I don't know] whether it was temporarily somewhere else or not. Neither I nor my neighbour - who comes up and down the road quite regularly - had seen it.' The orange convertible sports car appeared to be undamaged, he said. While glad to have his car back, Blackburn said the saga had been unnecessary and the process for finding relocated cars could be simplified. 'It just seems a total waste of time,' he said. In a statement, Vector said it notified customers in advance of planned outages, including advising owners to move their cars if they were within a worksite area. 'Towing is only carried out when absolutely necessary to complete the work, and there are strict rules in place when doing so,' Vector said. 'We understand this has been an extremely frustrating experience for Mr Blackburn, and we apologise for the inconvenience caused. We're reviewing our processes, alongside our contractors, so that in the rare event a vehicle is towed due to our work, we can better support customers in locating their vehicle.' Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Funeral to be held for Anahera, baby discovered in recycling
Detective Inspector Scott Beard (file photo) Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi A police officer who's worked for years to track the family of a baby found dead at a South Auckland recycling plant says the Onehunga community will honour her at a funeral service on Saturday. The newborn's body was discovered four years ago to the day, at Onehunga's Visy Recycling plant, on 16 August 2021, after a worker [ spotted her on a conveyor belt. She was given the name of Anahera (Angel) by the community. Despite significant publicity and police investigations, neither the baby, nor her parents or any family members were identified. Detective Inspector Scott Beard told Saturday Morning police had carried out extensive inquiries, including looking at more than 300 DNA profiles. "Obviously we look at the DNA profile, and we look at familial DNA to try and identify family - who could be the mother or father - and to date we've had nearly 300 profiles and we haven't been able to identify the parent." Investigators found Anahera must have arrived at the plant on the day she was discovered . CCTV footage was then used to try to narrow down the area she had arrived from, but Beard said 104 recycling trucks arrived that day. He said he could not speculate on why the baby was abandoned. The funeral was organised by the community, and was to take place at 10am Saturday in Onehunga, followed by a burial in Māngere. "Whatever the circumstances, what we have here ... we have a little baby who had just been discarded in the recycling, and today is about honouring this little baby," Beard said. "The local Onehunga community, what they've done - the wrap-around support and the general service that we're doing today - I think just shows the care and the love that is within the community." From time to time tips were submitted to the police about the case, which were investigated, but they had not yet led to the family, he said. In July, a coroner's report said medical examiners had not been able to tell if baby Anahera was born alive or was a stillbirth, and the cause of her death could not be determined. Police told the coroner they intend for Anahera's case to remain open until a parent was identified and spoken to. Beard has also previously said he hopes that someone connected to the child will one day come forward. Anyone with information can contact police by phoning 105, and quoting file number 210816/2825, or they can report to Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Finding help: Coroner Alison Mills, who examined Anahera's case, urged any woman who needs support with an unplanned pregnancy in the future to reach out to organisations who provide services, including: A kahu huruhuru feather cloak was donated for Anahera's burial. Photo: Supplied/police Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
