After attending to a report of a public order violation on Churchill Ave in Wairoa around 10:30 pm on Saturday, a police car’s headlight was shot off.
Two men, aged 22 and 23, tried to flee in a vehicle, but were apprehended by police shortly afterwards.
They are due to appear in Gisborne Court on Monday 27 February, where they will be charged in connection with the incident.
A further search of their property with the assistance of Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) personnel took place shortly afterwards, but no further firearms were seized.
Tairāwhiti Police Inspector Sam Aberahama said residents are forgetting that it is “business as usual” for officers in the district after Cyclone Gabrielle.
“I am always impressed with the resilience of our team, many of whom have been personally impacted by the cyclone and ongoing weather conditions, all of whom put the safety of their communities first as they go to work.”
Wairoa became completely isolated during the devastating storm nearly two weeks ago, with homes flooded as the Wairoa River burst its banks.
The city was without power or telephone for days.
It was a similar story for most of the eastern North Island districts, which are just beginning the massive post-storm cleanup job.
Gangs began taking advantage of Cyclone Gabrielle victims, and the area saw an increase in burglaries and other crimes as people looted from abandoned homes.
Residents of cyclone-hit Hawke’s Bay resorted to erecting roadblocks in some suburbs to protect their properties and homes from looters and thieves.
The region had added 145 additional front-line police personnel in the aftermath of the cyclone, in addition to the 770 already in place.
Police Minister Stuart Nash said the criminal behavior of gangs in Hawkes Bay is totally unacceptable.
“Police are aware and as a community we will not tolerate such gang behavior.”
Nash said gangs had a very strict hierarchy, with leaders and then men taking to the streets.
“I ask them to take control of these men because their families are also affected.”
Nash said it wasn’t the right time, especially with the city in distress and people out of communication.
“We don’t want gangs. I called gang leaders and told them to get this under control. They call themselves community leaders, so now is the time to show that leadership.”
In the past 24 hours, police in the Eastern District have completed 543 prevention-related tasks, such as reassurance patrols and proactive outreach to storm-hit neighborhoods.
During the same period, police received 453 calls for service, including five reports of burglaries and 48 incidents of family injury.
Twenty-four people have been arrested for various offenses – 14 in Hawke’s Bay and 10 in Tairāwhiti.
Crimes include burglary, car theft, serious assault and disturbance of the peace.