Resident's 111 call leads to burglary arrests

Christchurch Police are praising the actions of a Somerfield resident after her 111 call led to the arrest of two burglars on Friday afternoon.

Detective Inspector Virginia Le Bas says the woman was returning to her Rose Street home by car at around 2.00pm on Friday [25 January] when she saw an unknown man walking up the driveway towards the back of her house.

"She was suspicious of the man and called 111 immediately," says Detective Inspector Le Bas.

"She continued to watch from a distance and was able to give Police communications centre staff a description of the man, and pass on details of the man's movements.

"Police units were on the scene in a matter of minutes and the man was apprehended a short time later, along with a second offender who was confronted by a resident at a neighbouring property."

The two men, a 20-year old and a 23-year old, both of Christchurch, appeared in court on Saturday facing burglary charges and were remanded on bail to reappear on 11 February.

Detective Inspector Le Bas says the quick thinking of the resident made the difference in this incident - enabling police to respond immediately and leading to the prompt arrest.

"This woman has done the right thing by getting on phone straight away to report the suspicious activity she's seen.

"We can't stress enough the value of getting that sort of information to police promptly. People should not hesitate to call police if they see any suspicious people, activity or vehicles in their neighbourhood."

If a person believes a crime is being committed, or is about to be committed, they should call 111 immediately. To pass on non-urgent information, people should contact Christchurch police on (03) 3637400.

To provide information anonymously, callers can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.