Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Three men have appeared in court following quick action from members of the public reporting suspicious behaviour in rural Canterbury.
The men were disturbed on a property in Swannanoa yesterday morning.
Police apprehended one man within a short period of time, but two others fled the immediate area.
Cordons were put in place for much of the day as Police teams, with the assistance of a Police dog unit, worked to locate the pair.
The Police presence and cordons in the area also saw the arrest of two other people on related matters.
Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel says the quick reactions of local residents helped result in these arrests.
Residents of one property had initially called Police around 4:30am reporting a suspicious vehicle near their shed. While not able to recall the number plate, they were able to identify the colour, make, and model of the vehicle.
They later discovered items had been taken from their shed.
Then around 6:20am, Police received another call from a nearby property reporting the same vehicle being parked across their driveway and the driver refusing to move it.
The driver then fled on foot, and a Police dog unit was used to help track the driver’s movements.
He was arrested around 8:20am. The second man was arrested around 10am, while the third was arrested around 3:30pm.
Stolen chainsaws were located in the vehicle, which was also stolen.
Senior Sergeant McDaniel says Police rely on good, quick information from the public.
“In this instance, we had received calls from locals with helpful detail such as the type of vehicle seen, and descriptions of people of interest and their direction of travel.
“When we get this information as it’s happening, it allows our staff to respond immediately and have sufficient detail and information for us to make quick arrests.”
If you see suspicious activity or a crime occurring, call 111 straight away with as much detail as possible.
Three men aged 18, 25, and 29 have appeared in Christchurch District Court on charges including burglary, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, possession of cannabis, and breach of bail. They have been remanded in custody to reappear in coming days.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
