The Auckland Times

14/06/2024

THE STREAK CONTINUES!

The Blues march into the Grand Final!

08/06/2024

Well done Blues! CONGRATULATIONS Boys👏
With 36-5 win against Drua, see you at the Semi-Finals next weekend 🙌

08/06/2024

Blues 22 Drua 5
20mins to decide who will be into the Semi-Finals!

08/06/2024

First on the board is Blues tonight with 7-0 against Drua, opening quarter finals at Super Rugby Pacific Mt Eden

07/06/2024

Ronny Okeke disappearance:

Police investigating the whereabouts of missing man Ronny Okeke are turning attention to the southern Auckland and Waikato regions.

It has been 40 days since the 60-year-old Sandringham man was last seen or heard from.

The investigation team continues to try and piece together the circumstances surrounding Ronny’s disappearance.

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says Police are continuing to keep an open mind surrounding the circumstances in this case.

“This is still a missing person’s enquiry, but naturally we have serious concerns for Ronny given the length of time since he was last heard from,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

Police are now appealing for dashcam footage captured between the Kaimai Ranges and Ramarama, in the southern Auckland region.

The investigation team would like to hear from anyone who has footage, and was travelling in the areas between the Kaimai Summit Loop Track and Ramarama.

Specifically, Police want to hear anyone that was travelling between these areas from 10pm on 27 April 2024 and 7pm on 28 April 2024.

“We would also ask anyone who stopped at a lay-by between these locations with footage to contact us,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

“We understand that this is a broad request, but we are appealing to anyone with footage to make contact with us, so that we can establish whether it may be relevant to the enquiry.”

Please contact Police by calling 105 or going online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105.

Please quote the file number 240501/3879.

Anyone with further information that may also assist the investigation is asked to contact Police through 105 or calling Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

07/06/2024

Three-peat for Police following retail offending in the CBD

Police have laid a significant 22 charges between three prolific offenders for their alleged role in retail crime in Auckland Central.

Auckland City Central Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Dave Christoffersen, says Thursday 6 June was a bad day out for anyone choosing to target retail stores in the city.

Police lay 11 charges against 24-year-old
“Around 7.45am, Police responded to reports of an attempted theft from a supermarket on Quay Street.

“The Central City Beat team were quickly on the scene and arrested a man without incident,” Inspector Christoffersen says.

A 24-year-old is now facing 11 charges relating to shoplifting, theft, and burglary.

He is appearing in the Auckland District Court today and his bail has been opposed.

Police locate person of interest for dishonesty offending
Inspector Christoffersen says Police making enquiries into a person of interest for reported thefts in Auckland Central earlier in the week have located that person.

“Police have been making enquiries following the incident at a service station on Beach Road around 10pm on Tuesday evening where a number of items were believed to have been taken.

“A 28-year-old woman believed to be involved was then located at a nearby address where she was arrested without incident.”

She is now facing five charges relating to shoplifting and is due to appear in the Auckland District Court today.

Her bail has also been opposed.

Hat trick for Police with third shoplifting arrest in 24 hours
Rounding out the day was the arrest of a 53-year-old male who had a warrant to arrest for various shoplifting incidents across Tāmaki Makaurau.

The man was located by Central City staff in the CBD last night where he was charged on six counts of shoplifting.

He too is due to appear in the Auckland District Court today with his bail opposed by Police.

Inspector Christoffersen says these 22 charges are significant for Police and hope the community feel reassured we are holding those believed to be involved to account.

“Retail crime is particularly damaging to our communities.”

The total amount of the alleged offending between the trio totals $8936.

“This is an excellent outcome and the number of charges laid reflect the brazen nature of this alleged offending,” Inspector Christoffersen says.

“Police will continue to target prolific offending against retail businesses in our communities.”

07/06/2024

SUPER SATURDAY HEADLINES 2024 SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC QUARTER FINALS
The 2024 Super Rugby Pacific Quarter Finals fixtures have been confirmed, with a Friday night showdown in Hamilton to set the stage for a blockbuster Super Saturday of finals action next weekend.The Super Rugby Pacific Quarter Finals kick off on the evening of Friday 7 June with the Chiefs welcoming the Queensland Reds to FMG Stadium Waikato (5.05PM AEST / 7.05PM NZST).

The action continues on Saturday 8 June with the table-topping Hurricanes taking on the Rebels at Sky Stadium in Wellington (2.35PM AEST / 4.35PM NZST), followed by the Blues going head-to-head with the Fijian Drua at Eden Park in Auckland (5.05PM AEST / 7.05PM NZST).

The ACT Brumbies and Highlanders will then wrap up the opening weekend of the Super Rugby Pacific Quarter Finals as they do battle at GIO Stadium in Canberra (7.35PM AEST / 9.35PM NZST).

In a dramatic closing chapter to the regular season on Saturday, the Fijian Drua forced their way into the top eight by beating the Melbourne Rebels, while a bonus point win over the Highlanders saw the Hurricanes sneak past the Blues to claim top spot on the ladder.

A new Super Rugby Pacific champion will be crowned in 2024 with back-to-back defending champions the Crusaders finishing the season in ninth place and missing the Super Rugby Finals for the first time since 2015.

The rules for the Super Rugby Pacific Finals series dictate the following match schedules:

Quarterfinals – 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 with the top-ranked team hosting
Semi-Finals – top-ranked quarter-final winner hosts against lowest-ranked quarter-final winner & 2nd highest ranked quarterfinal winner hosts 3rd highest ranked winner
Final – top-ranked semi-final winner hosts the other semi-final winner.The Quarter Final rankings are:

Hurricanes
Blues
ACT Brumbies
Chiefs
Queensland Reds
Highlanders
Fijian Drua
Melbourne Rebels

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07/06/2024

Auckland Blues photoshoots

07/06/2024

A Women was threatened by a women with a large hunting knife
The 32-year-old passenger, who asked to remain anonymous, relies on public transport for the daily commute between her home in Pukekohe and her job in Newmarket.

She had just boarded a Southern Line service from Newmarket Station at 5.20pm on Wednesday when a woman sat on the commuter's bag in the seat next to her — an action the passenger said made her feel "unusual".

"You just feel awkward the whole time because the train is not too busy. You have empty seats, you can sit somewhere else," she told 1News.

A few minutes later, the woman inched closer to the passenger while she was on the phone to her mother. She began to feel something pinching her on her back "right side, towards my hip".

At first, the passenger said she was unsure what the sensation was, hanging up the call so she could see what was causing it."I wanted to see what was pinching, it was definitely not her hand. I could just feel something sharp," she said.

Looking down, she saw that the woman had been poking her with the tip of a hunting knife, concealed in the sleeve of her hoodie.

"I screamed, and I said 'just get up and move away', and I was loud. I said it maybe four or five times, and then she actually stood up and sat on the other row, one seat behind me diagonally," she said.

The passenger tried to raise the alarm, shouting that the woman had a knife, causing the offender to start abusing her.

The woman with the knife asked a nearby train manager what the next station was and then stood up and blocked the passenger in her seat.

"I got scared. I was thinking whatever she wants to do, she might just do it and run away," the passenger said.

Putting her bag in front of her to protect herself, should the knife-wielding woman attack her, the passenger called out to the train manager for help. She said he looked at her and then looked away.

"It was like I was seeing some kind of nightmare where nobody was reacting."

As the train pulled into Penrose Station, the offender spat on the woman's bag and disembarked the train, then started to bang on the window next to the passenger."She started showing me the complete knife and kept doing it for a good 20 seconds. It was the size of your forearm."

Footage seen by 1News shows the woman brandishing the knife and spitting on the window of the train.

The passenger approached the train manager two or three stations down the line and asked if he would report what happened.

"He just said 'we do report this, but nothing happens'," she said.

The train manager, who the passenger spoke to as they both left the station, reportedly described the offender as a "girl who was being playful".

He told her the offender would have become "more aggressive" if he had gone over.

The commuter told 1News she felt like she was on her own during the incident and that "no one was going to help".

"You just have to depend on yourself because nobody is going to come for you."

The incident has been reported to both Auckland Transport and policeAuckland Transport said it had been made aware of a "threatening" incident which rail operator Auckland One Rail was investigating and would support police as needed.

"We encourage all incidents to be reported as soon as they occur and we work closely with police in their efforts to deter anti-social behaviour," a spokesperson said.

"We also encourage customers to let us know anything they observe or experience on the public transport network and can contact us anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 4030, or via the AT website or contact centre.".Police confirmed it is making inquiries into a report of an assault on a train near Penrose on Wednesday.

"We are now in the very early stages to understand the full circumstances of what has occurred," a spokesperson said.

"One person was reported to have received minor injuries, however did not require medical attention, and is now being provided support.

"Our inquiries into the incident remain ongoing." SOURCE 1 News.

05/05/2024

It's Blackout in Singapore 🖤
Congratulations Boys and Girls Team New Zealand 🇳🇿
Back to back titles 🏆 🏆
Black Ferns Series Champions HSBC Sevens 🎊 👏

05/05/2024

A tough encounter 💪

It's back-to-back final wins for NZ Sevens

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05/05/2024

Congratulations to our Black Ferns Sevens! 🏆🏆
Sevens Series League winners!! 🎉

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05/05/2024

Two trophies for our Black Ferns Sevens! 🏆🏆

The inaugural women’s Singapore Svns champions and League winners!! 🏆|

04/05/2024

04/05/2024

What a match 🤩

NZ Sevens are through to the semi-final 💪

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04/05/2024

Quarter finals for the boys!

They take on the USA at 11.48pm NZT / 7.48pm local.

04/05/2024

Into the Semi-Finals with Fiji tomorrow at the HSBC Singapore Sevens 2024
All the best Girls👍

03/05/2024

Second win of the day and try 250 for Portia! 🙌🏼 🇳🇿

03/05/2024

A Kitiona Vai double helps the All Blacks Sevens to a dub to start day one 👏🏽

Next game:

All Blacks Sevens v Argentina
12.32am NZT / 8.32pm local

03/05/2024

Next up 🏉
🇳🇿
Local Time

03/05/2024

A flying start in Singapore for our Black Ferns Sevens🪽

Next matches:
All Blacks Sevens v Canada
7.04pm NZT / 3.04pm local

Black Ferns Sevens v Ireland
9.21pm NZT / 5.21pm local

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03/05/2024

It's game time in Singapore!

02/05/2024

THE SONU NIGAM SHOW (AUCKLAND)
It's been almost 5 years since his last show here, so you can imagine the excitement in the air. It's going to be a sold-out event.
One of the most accomplished and versatile singers of Bollywood. Spanning over four decades, Sonu Nigam's contribution to the music industry of India and South Asia is unparalleled.
Don't miss your chance to experience Sonu Nigam's magical performance.
Venue: The Trusts Arena
Date: 7th June, 2024
Tickets

02/05/2024

Auckland bus attacks: 'Crisis point' reached, union saysA bus drivers' union organiser says violence on Auckland's public transport system has reached a "crisis point" as driver shields are mandated on new buses in the city.

Auckland Transport (AT) says there has been a "big increase" in the last several weeks despite incidents "trending down" over the past year.

Security has been ratcheted up at public transport stations amid a series of attacks on young people on buses and at interchanges in New Lynn, Henderson and Albany. There has also been a rising number of reported assaults on drivers in the past several years.

First Union organiser Hayley Courtney told Breakfast that a "crisis point" had been reached for passengers and drivers.

"Our bus drivers are living in fear. Every day, they wake up in the mornings or before their shifts, worried that they're not going to return to see their families after they've finished their driving duties," she said."We want to see security being stepped up, not just temporarily, but for all the time at these hotspot places. They also talk about implementing bus screens for drivers to have them separated from passengers — that trial has been ongoing for over a year."

Common across buses in other cities overseas, the "shields" or "screens" create a physical barrier between a bus driver and passengers.

"We would really like to see that implemented," Courtney said.

She added: "We'd really like to see [Auckland Transport] stepping up and saying: 'Hey, look, we've got a really big issue here. We are now at crisis point. What can we do to reduce and minimise these risks for the people?'"

Courtney said bus drivers wanted the agency to act more "proactively" in response to data showing areas where there were hotspots for issues.

One teenage victim, who was attacked on a bus in Albany last month, told 1News: "It's so stressful because we need to bus, but we're scared to.
"I'm still in shock and I can't believe that it happened, absolutely."

A group of six young people — one of whom was found with a knife — were taken into custody over the incident after allegedly assaulting two teenage girls.

The victim said she would be taking a break from the bus for a while due to the "traumatic" incident but has to rely on the bus as her main mode of transport.

Driver shields mandated for new buses, AT says
Responding to the attacks on young people. AT's public transport director Stacey van der Putten told Breakfast that there were often many factors behind these incidents.

"It is a really complex social issue, that we're seeing — particularly with youth," she said.

"I understand that, as a mum of two teenagers, it's really concerning that we're seeing this and we're seeing this spike."I really want to have better community engagement, bringing community leaders and let's look at localised solutions that we can use, particularly in the likes of school holidays at hotspots."

Van der Putten said the agency had been encouraging people to report incidents through Crime Stoppers but there was a "limited workforce that we can deploy" for security.

"With that in mind, we need to be able to prioritise where we use those resources — so making sure we make the best of the information and being intelligence-led, so we can deploy people proactively to understand what's happening."

Additionally, van der Putten said funding was a big constraint in retrofitting bus driver shields faster but they would become mandated for new vehicles."Until we get through the challenges we have with funding, in order to be able to fast track that, we are limited and that's just the reality," she said.

Several buses had trialled retro-fitted plastic safety screens last year.

01/05/2024

Hsbc top ranking

After six events, both Australia Sevens and NZ Sevens are tied on 106 points 📈

Whoever comes out on top in Singapore takes home the series top spot 🔥

30/04/2024

07/04/2024

Congratulations to our Mens Team New Zealand for winning the Cathy Pasific/HSBC HONG KONG SEVENS 2024 🏆

Player of the Final:
Dylan Collier

Full time score Final:
New Zealand - 10
France - 5

Well done Boys & Girls 🇳🇿
It's Double celebrations!!!

Match updates proudly brought to you by Seafood Express 9, 76-82 Atkinson Avenue Otahuhu.
Fresh fish daily

07/04/2024

Congratulations to our Womens Team New Zealand for winning the Cathy Pasific/HSBC HONG KONG SEVENS 2024 🏆

Player of the Final:
Michaela Blyde

Full time score Final:
New Zealand - 36
USA - 7

Well done Girls 🇳🇿
Match updates proudly brought to you by Seafood Express 9, 76-82 Atkinson Avenue Otahuhu.
Fresh fish daily

07/04/2024

Awesome performance boys!
Off to the finals defeated Australia with 26-7

Bring it home 🏆 🏉

Lock your clocks tonight ⏰️

New Zealand Womens Vs USA 10.13pm
New Zealand Mens Vs France 10.53pm

Goodluck to both our Teams 👍 👍 👍