File pic Photo: Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Five people have been arrested over alleged crimes with an estimated cost of $1 million in the Kinleith Forests over the past year.
Detective Sergeant Neale Saunders, of Tokoroa police said the offending included: illegal hunting, wilful damage, and theft.
Officers had been working closely with the company that manages the Kinleith Forests.
The cost of the offending included damage to the company's and contractors' equipment and lost productivity, he said.
Several gates across the forests had been cut open to allow alleged offenders to access the sites, which have since been repaired, Saunders said.
Those arrested who are aged between 30 and 34 are due to appear in the Tokoroa District Court over the next few months.
They face charges of intentional damage, unlawful possession of firearms, and theft.
Police warned those thinking of illegally entering the forests, as soon as they entered the forests without permission they were committing several offences, some punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment.
Enquiries are continuing into the recent offending, and police want to hear from anyone who has recently witnessed suspicious behaviour around these forests.
Information can be passed on via 105 or online.
