17 Aug 2019

Man charged over theft of police pistols appears in court

1:15 pm on 17 August 2019

A 24-year-old man charged with stealing a police car and two police pistols has been remanded in custody after his first appearance in Invercargill District Court.

Officers arrested Hori Gemmell in Te Tipua yesterday afternoon after a more than 36-hour search.

Mr Gemmell has been charged with two counts each of reckless driving, theft, and unlawful possession of a pistol, and one count of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

A police car was rammed shortly after midnight on Wednesday, when officers attempted to stop a driver on Crew Road in Gore. The patrol car was later stolen along with two Glock pistols.

Police said the 24-year-old will next appear in court on 10 September.

Police said they recovered one of the pistols taken on Wednesday at the property where Mr Gemmell was arrested and the other remained missing.