New Zealand’s Most Notorious Criminal You’ve Never Heard Of | Simon Kerr

Simon Kerr is one of the most notorious criminals in New Zealand history.Raised in boys homes and state care, Kerr’s life quickly spiralled into crime. As a teenager he was already robbing banks, and by the 1980s he had become the leader of the infamous Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, a crew known for smashing through walls and ripping safes straight out of banks and businesses.Over the decades Kerr racked up nearly 150 convictions, escaped prison multiple times, and even spent 13 days on the roof of Mt Eden Prison in a dramatic standoff with authorities.For years his name appeared in headlines, police reports, and manhunts across the country.But behind the crimes is a deeper story, one that begins in New Zealand’s boys homes and state care system, where many of the country’s most notorious offenders spent their childhoods.This is a raw conversation about crime, consequence, survival and redemption.