Police officers have searched the apartment of television journalist Heather du Plessis-Allan and her husband Barry Soper, after she managed to purchase a firearm over the internet.
Heather du Plessis-Allan tweeted this photo of herself with the gun. Photo: Supplied
Soper, the political editor at Newstalk ZB, told RNZ they were "quite surprised" to receive a call from police yesterday afternoon informing them they would search the Wellington apartment the couple shared.
"I would have thought they would have searched her place in Auckland before they searched our place in Wellington. I also find it surprising that three officers from Auckland flew down to Wellington to execute this search warrant. Surely they could have had police based in Wellington who could do an adequate job."
He said three officers turned up at 8am and searched through bedside cabinets and drawers in the two bedrooms and dining room looking for samples of her handwriting. He said they took away some items.
Cops search our apartment in Wellington to find handwriting samples of @HDPA to prove gun charges against her. pic.twitter.com/ckLaA5AuzC
— Barry Soper (@barrysoper) November 30, 2015
He said the story was done in the full knowledge that there could have been repercussions, but the police acknowledged immediately there was a problem that people were able to buy guns online without a license.
"One would have thought that in the public interest, this was the story to do. She did it, and unfortunately, it would seem they are trying to make her suffer the consequences."
Search warrant served at our apartment this morning by cops trying to prove gun charges against @HDPA atTV3's Story. pic.twitter.com/uKSX2VYtK1
— Barry Soper (@barrysoper) November 30, 2015
Police have yet to bring any charges against du Plessis-Allan.
In October, du Plessis-Allan - a presenter on TV3's Story current affairs programme - worked on a report highlighting a loophole which allowed the purchase of a rifle via mail order, apparently without producing a gun licence.
Du Plessis-Allan said on the programme that it was "too easy" for the system to be hoodwinked, and called for it to be changed. She said Story had surrendered the firearm to police.
