Attributable to Senior Sergeant Aimee Whitley, Hamilton City Area Response Manager:

Two people, including a gang member, have been arrested and a homemade firearm seized following an incident in Hillcrest, Hamilton.

Around 2pm yesterday, Police responded to Masters Avenue following a report of a disorder involving a firearm. No-one was injured.

A person believed to be in possession of a firearm left the scene in a vehicle.

Police swiftly responded, armed as a precaution, searching the Hillcrest area and locating the vehicle of interest further down Masters Avenue.

The vehicle was stopped and two people from the vehicle were arrested without incident.

A small home-made pistol, capable of firing .22 calibre rounds, was located and seized, along with 203 grams of cannabis also located in the vehicle.

A 30-year-old Waikato man is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court on Friday 1 November on charges of unlawfully possessing a firearm and unlawfully possessing ammunition.

A 23-year-old Waikato man is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday 5 November on a charge of possessing a cannabis plant.

Thanks to the detailed and prompt report made by a member of the public, Police were able to swiftly locate the vehicle of interest, taking one more firearm off the street.

Police work hard to hold offenders to account, especially those with the potential to cause serious harm in our communities, such as those unlawfully in the possession of firearms, or those who take it upon themselves to craft homemade firearms.

Homemade firearms have the potential to cause serious harm, not only to officers and the community but also to those using them.

If you witness any unlawful activity and it is happening now, please contact Police on 111 as soon as possible with as much information as possible, including descriptions of the offenders, their vehicles, and what direction they may have travelled in.

Information can also be reported to Police online or by calling 105.

Alternatively you can report any information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

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