Chilling development in Kihikihi armed incident

As a forensic examination of a car stolen by a gunman in Kihikihi yesterday is about to commence, Waikato Police say the offender and his associates should give serious thought to the man giving himself up.

Field Crime Manager, Acting Detective Inspector Mark Greene, said the 2003 silver Honda Accord station wagon taken by a gunman from a Hall St Kihikihi address shortly after 9am was recovered in northwest Hamilton overnight.

"Officers located the vehicle about 1.30am today. At this point Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen the car being abandoned on Pringle Pl Nawton, or seen the occupants, to contact us.

"The offender at the centre of this incident is believed to be 35-year-old Rangiriri man, Zeb Lee Sonny McCallion who is believed to be armed and have access to drugs and should not be approached."

Mr Greene said if threatening Police officers at gunpoint as occurred yesterday morning wasn't bad enough, officers made a chilling discovery later in the day while searching the property where the Honda was taken from.

"As they searched along the offender's direction of flight from the Whitaker St incident to the victims' home they located a jacket on the lawn of the Hall St home and located inside the jacket was an improvised explosive device (IED).

"Members of an Auckland based Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team were called in to make the device safe and they confirmed it was a live device with the potential to cause serious injury."

Mr Greene said with firearms and an IED factored into the equation Police were appealing for McCallion and any associates who may be assisting him to consider the situation they now found themselves in.

"We would ask that he or they take stock of the seriousness of the situation and make contact with Police before it gets any worse.

"At the same time, anyone who sees McCallion is asked not to approach him but to ring 111."

Alternatively, anyone with information on McCallion's whereabouts can leave information anonymously with the independent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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