'Dangerous' mob member still on run in Napier

Sunday Star-Times

WANTED: Shannon Watene is on the run after allegedly pointing a pistol at a woman at a flat in central Napier.

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Police are continuing the search for a Mongrel Mob member who is on the run for the second time in three years.

Shannon Quinton Watene is being sought after allegedly pointing a pistol at a woman at a Hastings Street flat in central Napier on Saturday night.

The woman was unharmed during the incident.

The heavily tattoed 30-year-old Watene was considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached, Detective Constable Mike Signal said.

A patched member of the notorious Mongrel Mob Hawke's Bay chapter, he was "transient" by nature and had several Mob contacts residing in the Napier and Hastings areas.

Police had been speaking to his family over the weekend but had not found anything which led to his whereabouts.

This was the second time in three years Watene has been on the run from police, Hawke's Bay Today reported.

In July 2007, he led police on a two-hour car chase where he drove in excess of 200kph before abandoning his car.

Watene then tried to evade police by swimming the Ngaruroro River and was followed by Constable Jason Bryant.

But he failed to make it across the river, still in flood after heavy rain, and was talked into giving himself up by Mr Bryant after he went under the water several times.

The pair waded to an island in the middle of the river and were eventually taken to safety by a rescue helicopter.

Watene was described as a Caucasian of medium build, about 178cm tall.

He has "notorious" tattooed across his cheeks and bridge of his nose and three bulldogs across his forehead.

- NZPA