Four homicides in Christchurch in less than a month are isolated cases and residents have no reason to be concerned, Canterbury’s police commander says.

District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill told chrislynchmedia.com the cases were not connected, and in every one the people involved were known to each other.

“I can’t see a single one of those cases that I think I should be telling the public they should be concerned.”

Police had made good headway in three of the cases and had clear lines of investigation in the fourth, Hill said.

He said it was understandable that people felt uneasy after reading the headlines.

Violent crime nationally had risen slightly, Hill said, and police usually saw more assaults in public places at this time of year as people headed out to bars more often.

Police were also keeping a close eye on family harm and the impact of youth offending.

Hill said the debate over a police helicopter for Christchurch should start with how to stop young people offending, not with more money for air support.

“Arguably, that’s what the helicopter would do most of its time, following a small number of youth around in a stolen vehicle of low value. I’m more worried about the danger they would cause to the public, and what else could we do to actually prevent that from happening?”

Police had set up a youth pilot in response to an escalation in the violence young offenders were using, he said. It includes two youth crime investigation teams with Oranga Tamariki staff working alongside them, and a new sergeant’s role focused on stopping youth offending before it starts.

“It’s not just a police problem. We want to join up together and be more effective in this.”

The recent arrest of three young King Cobra members in Christchurch, in which police seized nine firearms, drugs and cash, did not mean the gang was trying to set up a stronghold in the city, Hill said.

Gangs that did not usually live in Christchurch made occasional visits in small numbers, and Canterbury did not have the high rates of gang membership seen in places such as the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier, he said.

“We don’t want young people joining any gangs. They arguably will become lifetime and persistent offenders.”

The thefts of charging cables from electric vehicle stations across Christchurch had caused about a quarter of a million dollars of damage for an insignificant amount of copper, Hill said.

A man has been charged over those thefts. Police believed a separate group was behind copper thefts from farm irrigators and were working to catch those responsible, he said.

On the death of cyclist Michael Hancock on Dyers Pass Road, Hill said police were clear about what had happened, and the recent appeal for information about a vehicle was to gather witness accounts for the coroner.

As summer arrived, Hill said he was more worried about the roads than about crime in the city, after a bad run of deaths and serious injuries, mostly in rural areas.

He urged drivers to be patient behind slower vehicles, stay off their phones and wear seatbelts.

“I’m more worried about that than actually what might be happening in the city as we move into what is actually a glorious time for our city.”