Sam Hoyle: Police Assistant Commissioner for Auckland and Northland says recent spate of homicides appear to be usual organised crime, gangs, family harm issues

Police say a recent spate of homicides appear to be down to the usual issues of organised crime, gangs and family harm.  

Since the start of August, Police have launched 11 homicide investigations.  

One has since been deemed not a homicide and has been referred to the coroner.  

Police Assistant Commissioner for Auckland and Northland Sam Hoyle told Mike Hosking it's very rare someone is murdered by a complete stranger. 

“There’s relationships – whether they’re through organised crime, familial relationships, neighbours – it is almost unheard of where a complete stranger is killed in a New Zealand context.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We seem to be in some sort of homicide spiral.
We've got eleven in the past month, the latter and
Kaitia Saturday night shootings to stabbings. People are ending up dead.
The Police Assistant Commissioner for Auckland and North and Sam
hoils with a Sam morning to you very well, indeed
thank you, and numerically speaking, how unusual is this, No.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Doubt about it. This is a big month for homicides.
Usually we need a much longer time period for before
we can kind of reach any conclusions around where this
is headed. But no doubt about it.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Even in a month is a big month for New
Zealand and it's just one of those things. I take it.
There is no obvious connection, There is no obvious reason.
It just happens to crime and levoles and you know unfolds.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
You'll look west getting across these as they happen, obviously
to see if we can pick up any early trends
or connections. It's, on the face of it, the normal
mix of organized crime and gangs and it can be harmed,
which has been with us for getting a man client.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
Can we say by some sort of level of reassurance
that the people are almost always known to each other.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yes, you know, it's a really good point, Mike. That
is very very rare that someone has murdered in New
Zealand by a complete stranger. There's relationships, whether they're through
organized crime, familiar relationships, neighbors. It is, you know, almost
unheard of. We're a complete stranger is killed in the

(01:32):
New Zealand context.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
How much resource do you throw at a homicide and
given there's eleven, is that stretching you.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
We throw a lot of resources at these, you know,
when you look at the Auckland picture, we throw resources
at those that have occurred in the city from South
Auckland a terrible engin and helped the team have done
heavy lifting over the last couple of weekends, but right
around the countrary. You know, I'm really proud of the
teams that we've stood up of really smashed the week

(02:00):
over this last month and they'll have to you know,
they'll be taking those trolls forward over the next couple
of years.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
I wish it the best, Posam, appreciate it very much.
The insight. Sam Hoyle, who's the Police Assistant commissioner.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
This morning for more from the mic, asking Breakfast.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
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