Christchurch public place violence increasing, police have plans to address it
Police have “clear plans” to address an increase in violence in public across Christchurch, says Canterbury district commander Superintendent Tony Hill.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings with John McDonald, Hill said there had been “small increases in public place violence”.
“We are seeing small increases in public place violence across the city, a little bit more than what we’re seeing across the whole country,” Hill said.
“We are monitoring that, and we’ve also got quite clear plans about how we’re going to address that as well.”
Hill said, “nearly over half of” the crime related to family harm incidents in public.
“We’re interested in seeing what we can do more around the perpetrators who are involved in family harm,” Hill said.
“Particularly where that’s playing out in public places like your supermarkets and places like that.”
Hill added there had been a “slight decrease” in youth offending, but acknowledged there was still an ongoing problem in the city.
“We still do have a problem with youth offenders in Canterbury, particularly in Christchurch,” Hill said.
“We’ve got one of the busiest youth courts in here. We are piloting two youth investigation teams.
“We’re working closer with Oranga Tamariki staff than we have before.
“We’re doing better information sharing. We’re focused on what we need to do around their families and connecting with some non-government organisations.
“We’re intrigued about what are the things that we can do to stop them from offending.”
Gang arrests, car thefts and homicide cases
On September 28, guns, ammunition, drugs and cash were seized, and three King Cobra gang members were arrested after a Christchurch police raid.
Tactical operations manager Inspector Craig Scott said at the time a Northcote property was searched by the Gang Disruption Unit after an “extensive investigation” into the sale of cannabis.
“The result represented a significant disruption to a gang-linked cannabis supply chain,” Scott said.
Nine firearms were seized, including pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns and a suppressed, scoped semi-automatic rifle.
More than a kilogram of cannabis and $15,000 in cash were also seized.
Three men aged 20, 20 and 22 from Kaiapoi and Northcote appeared in Christchurch District Court facing charges including possession for supply, unlawful possession of a firearm and driving while disqualified.
On September 29, a group of young people was arrested after alleged offending across Christchurch, including reports of multiple car thefts, dangerous driving and an assault on a shopkeeper.
Earlier that morning, police were made aware of multiple car thefts and reports of dangerous driving around the city.
Police were working to locate the alleged offenders when they were notified about 11.50am of an assault on a shopkeeper near the intersection of Gayhurst Rd and McBratneys Rd.
A day later, on September 30, a homicide investigation was launched after the death of a woman at a flat in Christchurch.
Police were called to a Purchas St property in Edgeware just before 6am that day, where a woman, Sarah Megan Brown, was found dead.
A 52-year-old man was taken into custody at the scene, and a murder charge was laid the following day.
He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear at the High Court at Christchurch on October 16.
He has also been granted interim name suppression.
Last week, police said they identified several thefts involving the removal of copper cabling from irrigation systems throughout North Canterbury.
Police said there were 12 incidents across Swannanoa, West Eyreton, Fernside, Oxford and Darfield.
Canterbury police earlier said they were working with the Scrap Metal Recycling Association to make it harder for offenders to profit from stolen metal after multiple electric vehicle charging stations were vandalised in a bid to take metal from cables.
On October 8, the body of father Braydon Hepworth was found during a search warrant at a residential property on Hereford St, Christchurch.
Two days later, on October 10, a 60-year-old man was charged in relation to the death of Hepworth.
“The man is facing charges relating to the concealment of Hepworth’s body and making a false statement,” Detective Inspector Scott Anderson said at the time.
The same day, police launched a double homicide investigation after they were called to an address on Olliviers Rd in Linwood about 12.50am.
Rodney Stewart Smith, 58, a forklift operator, is accused of murdering former Devils Henchmen Motorcycle Club president Glen Tukaki and Nigel Robinson.
Two other people were seriously injured.
Smith made an appearance at Christchurch District Court via audio-visual link from prison yesterday.
Judge Tony Zohrab remanded him in custody without plea to appear in the High Court on October 29.