two dozen police officers in seven vehicles were called to deal with a fight between rival gang members at a Dargaville restaurant

two dozen police officers in seven vehicles were called to deal with a fight between rival gang members at a Dargaville restaurant early on Saturday. Dargaville police Senior Sergeant Sue Leach said eight people were arrested as a result of the incident, which required the assistance of two Whangarei team police units and a dog handler. A member of the public called police to the Lyrik Restaurant in Gladstone St just after midnight on Friday when a karaoke evening erupted into a confrontation between members of the Stormtroopers and a rival gang. Mrs Leach said that, when police arrived, one member from each rival gang had obvious injuries. Up to 30 intoxicated people were drinking outside the restaurant, which is within the town liquor ban area, she said. The pavement was littered with broken bottles and the group refused to leave. Eight people were arrested for charges ranging from disorderly behaviour, assaulting police, breach of the liquor ban and being unlawfully on property. One man is being held in custody in Whangarei because of a previous warrant for arrest. Seven others were bailed to appear in the Dargaville District Court on Wednesday. When Dargaville police returned after dealing with the gang fight, they disturbed a 17-year-old youth in the yard behind the Dargaville Police Station. The youth was arrested and held in custody. Mrs Leach said police searched the youth's Dargaville address and found a substantial amount of property allegedly taken during burglaries in Dargaville and Whangarei over the past month. The youth is appearing in the Dargaville District Court today. In February last year, four people were arrested in connection with a burglary at the Dargaville Police Station when illegal drugs, police batons, cellphones, radios and other police equipment were stolen. The loot may have been carried away in a police patrol car later found torched near Dargaville.