6 <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>May</strong> <strong>11</strong> <strong>2022</strong>
•From page 1 “The hot water units are able to be reinstalled easily so can be sold second-hand quickly,” Rutherford said. Police sometimes found the units removed with the gas still on, posing a risk to occupiers of the targeted homes and businesses. He advised anyone who has had their hot water unit stolen to turn the gas off immediately and call <strong>11</strong>1 or 105 to report the theft. They should also phone a qualified gas fitter/ plumber to make sure there was no risk of a gas leak or explosion. He said owners of residential and commercial buildings fitted with the units should take preventative measures, such as ensuring the cabinet is secured with additional locks and installing CCTV cameras and good exterior lighting. “Doing anything that will take the offenders longer to remove the unit will deter them and prevent people in our communities becoming victims,” Rutherford said. He recommended securing the unit to the wall of the house with extra bolts and placing large Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz TARGETED: This gas hot water unit was stolen from a <strong>Selwyn</strong> home, leaving the owner without hot water. Homes left with dangerous gas leaks and no hot water MEARES WILLIAMS LAWYERS Over 10 Years in <strong>Selwyn</strong> ROLLESTON OFFICE 80A Rolleston Drive, Rolleston Belinda Ferguson Maddy France Kieran Heenan Olivia Johnston Anita Molloy-Roberts items in front of the cabinet to make it difficult to open. Rutherford encouraged people to report any suspicious activity and keep an eye on each other’s properties. He said anyone who sees a unit for sale on Facebook marketplace, Trade Me or other online platforms should report it to police if the listing looks suspicious. “Police are continuing to conduct high-visibility patrols in areas which have been targeted when time and resourcing allows to deter any future thefts,” Rutherford said. W: www.meareswilliams.co.nz T: (03) 374 2547 E: reception @meareswilliams.co.nz Offices also located at: 43 Gerald Street, Lincoln 225 Papanui Road, Christchurch • By Susan Sandys A HORORATA resident has told drone operators their machines will be “shot out of the sky” if they are seen over private property. The resident, who did not want to be named, told the <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> her threat on the Hororata Community Facebook page last week was not serious. “It was just a warning,” she said. The woman was aware it was illegal to shoot at drones, just as it was illegal to operate drones over properties without the property owners’ consent. She said a friend of hers on a rural property asked her to put the general warning on Facebook. This resident, who had also not wanted to be identified, felt their property may be being scoped out by thieves when they noticed a drone flying overhead. She had also heard reports of drones over other properties. “People are getting suspicious that someone is scoping the area,” the woman said. Civil Aviation Authority rules state drone users need consent of property owners before flying above those properties. Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said drones could be easily purchased by a variety of Wednesday <strong>May</strong> <strong>11</strong> <strong>2022</strong> <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> NEWS 7 Threat to shoot down drone ‘just a warning’ AP42 Heat Pump with Wi-Fi Control Heating 5.4kW | Cooling 4.2kW $2,899 INSTALLED * WARNING: A resident who threatened to shoot down a drone said she was not serious. PHOTO: ODT people, young and old. “They are also used by a number of companies and services, for example, roading, fire service, police, roofing contractors, power line companies, just to name a few,” McDaniel said. He said there was no evidence to support they were being used to “case” addresses. “As for shooting these drones down, I would state no prudent firearms licence holder would do this.” Henderson Reeves law firm advises on its website that anyone shooting down a drone would open themselves up to prosecution under several laws. Anyone wanting to make a complaint about a drone on their property should either contact the authority, the Privacy Commissioner or police. Get your home ready for winter! * Back-to-Back installation, conditions apply. Call us for a free quote Wai We care "I am especially interested in the water quality issues surrounding the Te Waihora catchment. The biggest challenge will be deciding as a community how we can influence positive outcomes for the environment." James Booker – <strong>Selwyn</strong> Waihora Water Zone Committee member Nine of Canterbury’s water zone committees are looking for new community members. If you are interested in joining, visit ecan.govt.nz/waiwecare and let us know wai you care. Applications close Monday 30 <strong>May</strong>. Canterbury’s water zone committees recommend actions and tactics to councils and work with the community to protect our precious resource for future generations. Environment Canterbury
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