Two men arrested for theft from Tongan church in South Auckland
Police report that on the night of March 13, the United Church of Tonga in Auckland’s Papakura district was burglarized.
Two individuals have been apprehended in connection with the theft of 30kg of kava from the church.
During the incident, several items, including guitars, speakers, and a significant quantity of kava, were stolen. Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor provided details of the incident, noting that police were alerted to suspicious noises at the property around midnight.
Although initial checks revealed nothing unusual, a subsequent inspection the next day confirmed a break-in.
After extensive investigations, which included reviewing CCTV footage and conducting further inquiries, police executed two search warrants in the Papakura area, successfully recovering most of the stolen items and returning them to the church.
The two suspects, both 31, have been charged with burglary and are scheduled to appear in the Papakura and Manukau District Courts later this month.
Detective Taylor expressed satisfaction with the recovery and the positive impact on the community, highlighting the significance of returning the stolen items to the church.
