‘Betrayal’: Police condemn ex-cop who stole Glock from station

Police are “bitterly disappointed” by a former constable who stole a police Glock pistol, saying he “let down the mana of our uniform”. 

Steven John Karehana yesterday pleaded guilty in the Whanganui District Court to theft and unlawful possession of a firearm after stealing the weapon while serving as a police officer. 

Karehana, who no longer works for New Zealand Police, stole the $1204 firearm from a locked gun safe at the Whanganui Police Station in February. 

It was then given to an associate and sold for $10,000. Karehana did not know it was going to be sold, but received $5000. The firearm has since been recovered. 

The conviction comes less than two years after Karehana was celebrated as a police recruitment success story. 

Last year, Karehana was the face of a New Zealand Police recruitment campaign, speaking publicly about overcoming earlier mistakes and encouraging young Māori to consider a policing career. 

A year earlier, he received the Commissioner’s Leadership Award on graduating from the Royal New Zealand Police College. 

Following the court appearance, Central District Commander Superintendent Dion Bennett said Karehana’s offending had disappointed both police leadership and his former colleagues. 

“While I am pleased that Mr Karehana has been prepared to accept responsibility for his actions, I know that I and all his former colleagues are bitterly disappointed that he let down the mana of our uniform. 

• Police recruitment success story who wanted to inspire young Māori stole police Glock

“We will all work hard to repair the damage he’s caused.” 

Bennett said Karehana no longer reflected the values that had previously seen him selected to represent police publicly. 

Former constable Steven Karehana starred in a police recruitment ad campaign. Photo / Melissa Nightingale 

“As a consequence of his own actions, we have removed Mr Karehana from promotional materials in which he featured. He has demonstrated that he no longer holds the same values that previously led him to be selected for inclusion in Police promotions. 

“There are no words to describe the betrayal of this act, and I hope his rogue actions do not tarnish the great work of our Police officers, including Mr Karehana’s former colleagues in Whanganui.” 

Bennett said policing was a rewarding career, but officers were expected to meet high standards when they joined the force and maintain them throughout their careers. 

In the recruitment campaign, Karehana described his path to policing as far from straightforward. 

At the time, he told NZME that when he first applied 20 years earlier, he was turned down due to a criminal charge from his youth that was dealt with by way of diversion. 

He said he was encouraged to gain more life experience and stay out of trouble before reapplying. 

When he was finally accepted in 2023, he said it felt “surreal”. 

Karehana said he wanted to inspire the next generation. 

In court, he was convicted on both charges and remanded on bail ahead of his sentencing in December. 

Tara Shaskey is an assistant editor and reporter for the Open Justice team. She joined NZME in 2022 and has worked as a journalist since 2014.