Friday, 31 August 2007 - 12:25pm |
Waikato

Aggravated Robbery Huntly

1 min read

30 August 2007

Huntly Police are grateful to members of the public who assisted an off duty officer in apprehending an offender following a robbery in the town yesterday.

Sergeant Brent Wallace was off duty with his family at the Countdown Supermarket on Tumate Mahuta Dr when he saw a man running from the supermarket's car park about 12.40pm.

As the man was running towards Tainui Bridge Mr Wallace noticed he was trying to keep the hood of his sweatshirt over his face and he was carrying a black purse.

At the same time an elderly woman was on being helped up from the ground and Mr Wallace realised he was witnessing the offender of a robbery trying to escape with her bag.

He chased the offender about 200m towards the bridge and the man approached a green Ford Laser, opened the back door and got in the car.

Despite the driver of the car punching his arms Mr Wallace was able to pull the offender from the vehicle on to the footpath as two men in the car sped off with the woman's bag still in the car.

A member of the public assisted Mr Wallace in restraining the offender until on duty Police officers arrived, the offender was found to be a 16-year-old Ngaruawahia youth.

Senior Sergeant Pete Simpson said Police were grateful for the public's assistance in restraining the youth and for the actions of another person who followed the car for a short distance in their vehicle before losing it.

"Sergeant Wallace's actions and those of the members of the public who assisted should be commended," he said.

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