Detective Sergeant Neale Saunders, Tokoroa Police:

Five people are before the courts following several incidents in the Kinleith Forests over the past year, costing the business who manages them and its contractors around $1 million.

Police have been working closely with the company who manages the Kinleith Forests as we respond to the identified offending which has included illegal hunting, wilful damage, and theft.

There has been an estimated cost of $1 million from the offending, including damage to the companies and contractors’ equipment and lost productivity.

Several gates across the forests have been cut open to allow alleged offenders to access the sites, which have since been repaired.

Police would like to remind people thinking of illegally entering the forests, as soon as you enter the forests without permission you are committing several offences, some punishable by up to 10-years-imprisonment.

Since November, Police have arrested five people between the ages of 30 and 34 in relation to the offending. They are due to appear in the Tokoroa District Court over the next few months facing charges including intentional damage, unlawful possession of firearms, and theft.

Police are clear, we will not tolerate unlawful behaviour and will work hard to stop it in its tracks.

Enquiries remain ongoing in relation to recent offending, and we would like to hear from anyone who witnesses or has recently witnessed suspicious behaviour around these forests, you can report information to us via 105 either online or over the phone.

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