NZ Police/Stuff
Police are still trying to find Cliff Wharerau, 45, and say members of the public should call 111 if they see him.
Police are still trying to find a man accused of shooting at a police car and kidnapping a man in Northland in October 2020.
Cliff Charles Wharerau, 45, has been wanted by police for at least a fortnight.
He is accused, along with two other men, of shooting at a police officer near Kerikeri, hitting her windscreen in an incident which left her shaken but not physically hurt.
They are also accused of kidnapping a man, blindfolding him and forcing him into the boot of his own car at gunpoint.
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Wharerau and his two co-accused were set to face a trial in the High Court in Whangārei on July 25, jointly accused of seven charges relating to the incidents.
He was arrested in December 2020 and had been on electronically-monitored bail awaiting the trial.
NZ POLICE/Supplied
The police officer’s windscreen was shot at, on State Highway 11 in the Far North, in October 2020.
On July 1, police issued an appeal to help find Wharerau, wanted under multiple warrants.
He is known to visit Northland, Auckland and Te Awamutu, but police were looking for information from across the country to find him, said Detective Senior Sergeant Kevan Verry, from Northland Criminal Investigation Branch.
He is described as 1.74m tall [5ft 8] with distinctive tattoos on his left hand, arm and shoulder.
When arrested, police said Wharerau was a member of the Rebels gang.
On Thursday, police continued to appeal for information on his whereabouts.
“We would like to remind the public this man is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached – if you see Wharerau, please call 111 immediately,” a police spokesperson said.
Anyone who has further information on his whereabouts should contact Police on 105, quoting file number 201027/0516, or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
