A 27-year-old man has been remanded in custody following a string of car break-ins and burglaries across Canterbury.
Police said the offender stole a vehicle from Hornby on the evening of Monday 21 July before crashing it in West Melton just after midnight. Over the following hours, he attempted to break into more vehicles and targeted several properties.
Around 8am on 22 July, a car owner on Kingsdowne Road caught the man trying to break into a vehicle and alerted police.
Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker of Selwyn Police praised the swift actions of locals.
“The car owner and his family were able to hold the offender until we arrived, which probably prevented more crime,” Walker said.
The man is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on 13 August.
Police are asking residents in the Willfield area of West Melton to review any CCTV footage from between midnight and 8am on 22 July. Anyone with footage or who witnessed a crash involving a white Nissan Presage is urged to contact police online or call 105, quoting file number 250722/9743.
