Police have arrested a man after several boats were interfered with at Taupō marina this morning, prompting an appeal to boaties to contact Police if their vessel has been tampered with.

Officers were called about 9am, after a boat owner found his vessel untied. It appears several boats were interfered with and as Police made enquiries, they were alerted to a potential suspect being located by Coastguard Lake Taupō volunteers.

Uninterested in speaking with Police, the man dived into the water, crossing to the Nukuhau side of the Waikato River. He entered the river again and swam back to the Taupō side.

After emerging from the water, the individual climbed a tree, then informed the officers below that he was stuck.

Fire and Emergency NZ and an ambulance were called as a precaution, with firefighters assisting with the man’s extraction from the thin branch on which he had perched.

He was taken into custody and is being spoken to about the events.

Police ask that boaties in the area report any instances where their vessels have been interfered with. If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number P060643157.

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