Selwyn Times: February 27, 2019
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SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
Wednesday <strong>February</strong> <strong>27</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 5<br />
Gangs targeting men online<br />
• By Sophie Cornish<br />
GANGS ARE using women<br />
as young as 16 to target<br />
unsuspecting men who are then<br />
being beaten, kidnapped and<br />
robbed.<br />
The tactic is called “honeytrapping.”<br />
Police say women are reaching<br />
out to men online who arrange<br />
to meet them and then gang<br />
members and associates get<br />
involved.<br />
Police are investigating<br />
whether there is an online link<br />
to a brutal attack on a 59-yearold<br />
in Rolleston just over three<br />
weeks ago.<br />
He was punched, kicked and<br />
stomped at his home by gang<br />
members and associates.<br />
His cellphone, wallet, four<br />
firearms, a Ford Falcon, a Harley<br />
Davidson motorcycle and a<br />
laptop were stolen.<br />
Police arrested Black<br />
Power gang member William<br />
Hewinson in relation to the<br />
incident. He has since pleaded<br />
guilty in the district court to<br />
charges of aggravated robbery,<br />
kidnapping, burglary and<br />
unlawful possession of firearms.<br />
Two men and a 21-year-old<br />
woman have been charged with<br />
the same offences.<br />
TRAP: Police say women are reaching out to men online and<br />
arranging to meet them, and then gang members and their<br />
associates get involved.<br />
In late December, a 45-yearold<br />
was beaten and robbed of his<br />
car, cellphone and wallet after he<br />
picked up two 17-year-olds from<br />
a Woolston address. He had met<br />
one of them online.<br />
After driving for a short time,<br />
the teenagers asked him to<br />
pull over so they could have a<br />
cigarette.<br />
Detective Sergeant Daniel<br />
Isherwood said two men<br />
associated with the Tribesmen<br />
gang pulled up in a vehicle.<br />
The 45-year-old was then<br />
allegedly kicked in the head<br />
through the window, while the<br />
other man climbed into the<br />
passenger seat and punched him<br />
in the head.<br />
He was then forced into the<br />
backseat of his car and told to sit<br />
on his hands while being driven<br />
around the city. He was taken<br />
back to his own house, where the<br />
alleged offenders took a Holden<br />
Commodore.<br />
He was also told he owed<br />
them $5000. He did not pay the<br />
money and went to the police.<br />
Two brothers have been<br />
charged with aggravated robbery<br />
and kidnapping.<br />
Detective Sergeant Isherwood<br />
emphasised the gang tactics<br />
were not widespread and victims<br />
were only a “small part” of the<br />
community.<br />
“They look for any<br />
opportunity really, any weakness<br />
. . . these victims are seen as an<br />
easy target,” he said.<br />
Detective Sergeant Isherwood<br />
is also concerned that young<br />
people associated with gangs<br />
may not realise how serious<br />
the penalties are for aggravated<br />
robbery.<br />
“If a senior gang member is<br />
asking you to partake in an<br />
activity which involved threats,<br />
extortion and the harming of<br />
people, the likely outcome for<br />
you is time in prison,” he said.<br />
“The convictions for<br />
aggravated robbery and/or<br />
kidnapping will likely result in<br />
lengthy terms of imprisonment,<br />
both of which carry maximum<br />
terms of imprisonment of 14<br />
years.<br />
He is calling for victims of<br />
this behaviour to come forward.<br />
“Police are willing to support<br />
any victims of this offending<br />
and encourage anyone to come<br />
forward and speak with us. We<br />
have a good resolution rate for<br />
those who speak with us.”<br />
Local<br />
News<br />
Now<br />
• By Anan Zaki<br />
Fire rages, homes at risk<br />
Tools stolen<br />
in burglary of<br />
school shed<br />
TOOLS VALUED at $7000<br />
were stolen from a shed at<br />
West Rolleston School on<br />
Thursday.<br />
Principal Sylvia Fidow said<br />
fuses in the security lights were<br />
disabled by the burglar between<br />
midnight and 8am.<br />
“Everything” was stolen, she<br />
said.<br />
The stolen items included an<br />
angle grinder, lawn mower, jigsaw<br />
and a drill.<br />
“We had been slowly building<br />
up our resources so everything<br />
was new,” Ms Fidow said.<br />
The burglary has “shocked” the<br />
school community.<br />
“As a new school we could not<br />
afford a caretaker for the first<br />
year and since Andy Benn has<br />
been with us he has done such a<br />
great job of making our school<br />
a beautiful and inviting physical<br />
landscape,” Ms Fidow said.<br />
“Everyone has been upset for<br />
Andy and he has had lots of cards<br />
made by the children.”<br />
•If you have information on<br />
the burglary phone police<br />
on 347 9248 and quote file<br />
number 190221/4626<br />
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