Couple on the run may have stolen yacht

Police are investigating whether a fugitive couple on the run from allegations of fraud and sexual assault may have stolen an expensive yacht and fled the country.

It has been more than eight months since the last confirmed sighting of Paul James Bennett, 52, and his long-time partner Simone Anne Wright, 38.

Police want to speak to the couple in connection with an alleged $250,000 fraud involving Canterbury helicopter company HeliPower.

The pair are also wanted over a sex attack on a teenage girl in the late 2000s.

Police say they have no idea where they are.

HeliPower director Michael Jacomb has put up a $50,000 reward for information that leads to their arrest.

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This morning, Detective Mark Kolmer said police were investigating whether Bennett and Wright were linked to the theft of a 14-metre cruising cutter called Harlech (registration 395083), which was stolen from Opua in the Bay of Islands on February 3.

The boat was suitable for travelling in the open waters of the Pacific Ocean, he said.

"If someone was trying to… escape New Zealand, it's the perfect vessel for that.

"We are looking into any possible link."

Kaikohe police were keeping Christchurch detectives looking for Bennett and Wright "in the loop" as their investigation progressed, Kolmer said.

The last confirmed sighting of Bennett was in Nelson on June 3 last year. Prior to that, he had been seen selling cars in Auckland and Dunedin.

There have been no confirmed sightings of Wright since a fraud complaint was lodged with police on May 10.

Bennett and Wright had been living at a $900-a-week, three-bedroom rental property in Christchurch until they told their landlord they were going on holiday about May 6.

Jacomb spoke to Bennett shortly before then and queried him about invoices he suspected had been digitally manipulated.

Police made their first public appeal for information about the couple in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation on June 7.

Bennett was born in Waikato and has a long reported history of eluding police.

He once talked his way into becoming the helicopter pilot for Hollywood actor Russell Crowe. However, he was later found to have no pilot's licence.

Police said Bennett had used fake passports and at least 15 different aliases. He and Wright were also known to change their appearance.

An investigation by The Press found police may have come face-to-face with the pair a number of times in Australia and New Zealand in recent years.

On once occasion, Bennett was pulled over during a roadside breath-test in Tauranga but slipped through undetected, a source confirmed.

The couple have spent time in Nelson, Wanaka and Christchurch since 2011 – trading in Rolex watches online and often through Trade Me.

In each location, they lived in high-end rental accommodation and were able to avoid paying a bond.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on (03) 3637400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

ALSO KNOWN AS

Paul James Bennett's known aliases: Paul James Williams, David Kite, Dennis Kite, Paul Lochead, David Hanson.

Simone Anne Wright's known aliases: Sarah Kite, Sarah Shaw, Simone Thalia Williams, Simone Thalia Wright.