Selwyn Times: September 01, 2021

A BOY RACER ran away
from police and then allegedly
headbutted an officer as he
was being transported to
the Christchurch station last
night.
Senior Sergeant Dean Harker
said police were called about
11.40pm on Monday to a
report of four vehicles doing
burnouts on Knyvetts Rd,
Southbridge.
One of the drivers, an 18-yearold
from Christchurch, was
apprehended by an officer after
a short chase on foot through
some paddocks.
Harker said the teenager
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appeared to be intoxicated.
While two of the officers
transported him in the back
of their patrol car to the
Christchurch central police
station, he allegedly headbutted
the officer who was not driving.
Harker said officers from
Ashburton, Leeston and one
from Christchurch’s anti-social
road user team attended the
incident.
The man was charged with
assaulting a police officer,
sustained loss of traction, escape
from police custody, driving
while disqualified, refusing
request for blood, and breaching
the Covid-19 lockdown.
Harker said the actions of the
NEWS 3
Building site burglars caught after tip-off
• By Susan Sandys
A MAN who allegedly burgled
a building site in broad daylight
was spotted by a member of the
public and caught by police.
Police are applauding the good
work of both the person who
reported the incident and members
of the public who kept track
of the offender’s vehicle, posting
sightings in a Facebook community
group.
A 39-year-old man from the
Waimakariri area was charged
with the burglary, which took
place about 3pm Tuesday at West
Melton’s Ridgeland Way. He was
apprehended at Kirwee.
Senior Sergeant Dean Harker
said a vehicle with two male
occupants was seen towing a car
transporter/trailer, and entering
the residential building site,
where items were then stolen.
• By Susan Sandys
“Someone who had seen it acting
suspiciously rang us,” Harker
said.
“They thought it didn’t look
right, they had good information
and details, descriptions and
everything. We managed to get
staff into the area quite quickly
and caught up with it.”
He said the quick reporting
by the member of the public
represented good community
work, in partnership with police.
He also applauded members of
the West Melton Community
Page, who commented on a
SUSPICIOUS: A
silver Toyota people
mover towing a car
transporter/trailer
was observed on
a home security
camera and posted
to the West Melton
Community Page.
Senior Sergeant
Dean Harker (inset)
is applauding
members of the
public for being
vigilant.
post, which said police had been
informed. The post included a
description of the vehicle, as a
silver Toyota people mover.
Commenters were then able to
provide updates to fellow members
about where they spotted
the vehicle.
Wednesday September 1 2021 Selwyn Times
Harker said, in general, this
type of information sharing, on
where offenders were at any one
time, could help keep communities
safe. And, while it had not
been the case this time round,
it could even sometimes help
police apprehend offenders.
The burglary at West Melton
follows other similar burglaries
in the area. Overnight on August
11 about $10,000 of windows and
other materials were stolen from
a lifestyle property building site
in a subdivision at West Melton.
In July, about $8500 of materials
were stolen from two neighbouring
homes under construction
at the Wilfield subdivision
at West Melton.
The threat of thefts from building
sites has increased in recent
weeks as the price of building
materials has skyrocketed.
Arrest for assault after boy racer activity
boy racers in the four vehicles,
one of which had broken down at
the scene, were “very selfish”.
Not only were they
endangering road users, but they
were breaking lockdown rules,
endangering themselves, the
public and emergency services
personnel, he said.
“It puts everyone else at risk.”
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