Nor'West News: October 30, 2018
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Tuesday <strong>October</strong> <strong>30</strong> <strong>2018</strong> 5<br />
Local<br />
<strong>News</strong><br />
Now<br />
Fire rages, homes at risk<br />
Pokie player thought hold up was a joke<br />
• By Sophie Cornish<br />
WHEN AN armed robber<br />
ordered people playing the pokies<br />
to lie on the floor, Jenny Hogg<br />
thought it was a joke.<br />
But when Ms Hogg saw the<br />
offender’s firearm was not a toy<br />
gun like she first thought, she<br />
realised it was<br />
serious.<br />
Ms Hogg<br />
was playing<br />
the pokies on<br />
Tuesday night<br />
at Coasters<br />
Tavern in<br />
Redwood<br />
Jenny Hogg<br />
when three<br />
armed robbers<br />
held up the bar.<br />
During the ordeal shortly<br />
before 9pm, one patron, an<br />
elderly man, tried to wrestle<br />
with one of the robbers. It<br />
is believed he was hit in the<br />
forehead with the blunt end of a<br />
machete.<br />
Ms Hogg said he received a<br />
cut to his forehead. A woman in<br />
her 20s also received a fat lip, she<br />
said.<br />
A shot was fired during the<br />
ordeal, which lasted between five<br />
and eight minutes<br />
Ms Hogg said she believes the<br />
shot was fired at the roof. She<br />
said she tried to tell jokes and<br />
laugh to keep people calm.<br />
“I didn’t even realise everyone<br />
was lying on the floor. I thought<br />
this guy had walked in as a joke. I<br />
was still playing the pokies, then<br />
I turned around and everyone<br />
was on the floor and I thought<br />
‘oh, sh*t’, I better get on the floor.<br />
I was like ‘oh, you’re for real<br />
mate.”<br />
Detective Sergeant Brad<br />
Greenstreet said the men,<br />
who were armed with various<br />
weapons, including a machete<br />
and a firearm, threatened bar<br />
staff and patrons and demanded<br />
money.<br />
The men left in a stolen dark<br />
blue Mazda Familia hatchback<br />
before dumping it nearby and<br />
using a second vehicle to leave<br />
the area.<br />
They wore scarves over their<br />
faces and black hoodies.<br />
Detective Sergeant Greenstreet<br />
called the incident “violent and<br />
dangerous.”<br />
He said his advice for people<br />
in a situation like this would be<br />
to comply with the offender’s<br />
demands.<br />
“These things can escalate and<br />
get out of hand quickly.”<br />
ON THE CASE:<br />
A detective<br />
at the scene<br />
of the armed<br />
robbery at<br />
Coasters<br />
Tavern in<br />
Redwood.<br />
“It is fortunate more<br />
people were not seriously hurt.”<br />
Ms Hogg believes about $4000<br />
was taken.<br />
Goldi Group Ltd general<br />
manager Gareth Bull, a<br />
representative of the company<br />
that owns the tavern, said he<br />
would not comment as the<br />
robbery was under police<br />
investigation.<br />
PROPERTY<br />
WANTED<br />
Local accountant requires:<br />
4 Bedrooms<br />
2 Bathrooms<br />
2 Living areas<br />
Up to $750,000<br />
Local family requires:<br />
Townhouse or smaller<br />
section 3/4 Bedrooms<br />
Finance to $600,000<br />
Call Gavin 027 431 7470<br />
Happy Senior<br />
Sellers<br />
SuperGold Card holder?<br />
See us before selling!!<br />
SELLING?!<br />
CALL NOW FOR<br />
YOUR SPECIAL<br />
SERVICES<br />
359 5595<br />
TOPPS<br />
A Wise Choice<br />
Property Sales • Rentals • Property Management<br />
Gavin Topp<br />
Gail Ker<br />
Paul Morrison<br />
*Some conditions will apply Topp Realtors LTD REAA 2008<br />
Sharan Phillips<br />
Gray Gong
Change language