Stolen Napier boat Mighty Pelican found more than 100km from marina, surrounded by cannabis plants and guns

Jack Riddell

Multimedia journalist·Hawkes Bay Today·

15 Jul, 2026 02:29 AMQuick Read

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The boat Mighty Pelican and its trailer were reported stolen on June 18.

Police have found a boat stolen from a Napier marina in June sitting high and dry on a property in Wairoa more than 100 kilometres away.

A police spokesperson said they arrested a man following a search warrant of the property on Tuesday, during which they found two stolen boats,
firearms and ammunition, and a cannabis-growing operation.

One of the stolen boats is understood to be the Mighty Pelican – last week police issued a public plea for witnesses after it was taken from a Napier marina on June 18.

Both boats were in the process of being stripped, police said.

The man, aged 25, was charged with a raft of offences and was due to appear in the Wairoa District Court on July 24.