A stolen motorbike is believed to have been involved in a crash that left one person dead and another seriously injured in the Bay of Plenty.
Police said they received a report of two motorbikes being stolen from a house in Kawerau about 2.45am today.
Officers were then sent to the area to investigate the burglary and carry out a search of the neighbouring forestry area.
Police said one officer then returned to his vehicle to carry out road patrols, when they came across a crash that had just occurred on River Rd, about 3.40am.
One of the motorbikes had been involved in a collision with a four-wheel drive vehicle. Two men aged 24 and 17 were on the bike.
Police said the older man died at the scene, the other was in hospital with serious injuries.
The driver and passenger of the four-wheel-drive were not injured.
Police said the road had since re-opened and a serious crash investigation was under way.
They said the purpose of their investigation was to establish whether the two men on the bike were involved in the robbery. The other stolen motorbike has been located by police in Kawerau.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police.
