[NZL] Bus and Tram halt stolen car

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awatea36
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[NZL] Bus and Tram halt stolen car

Post by awatea36 »


A Christchurch bus driver came to the aid of police yesterday by collaring a 14-year-old fleeing a stolen car which had smashed into a tram in Cathedral Square.


The stolen Ford Laser, allegedly driven by a 19-year-old with two passengers aged 12 and 14, was spotted by police on Colombo Street about 9.40am and took off.

The car raced down the street with a police car in pursuit but the chase came to a crunching end almost before it began. The car was overtaking a bus in Cathedral Square when it collided with an oncoming tram.

The three youths fled on foot but a passing bus driver who witnessed the crash left his vehicle to chase the 14-year-old down towards Warners Hotel.

The driver, who works for Christchurch Bus Services and only wants to be known as Steve, said he did not hesitate to leap from his bus and collar the teenager.

"It took me only a second to decide to run after him. A friend looked after the bus for me. I ran a fair way to get him. He was running at a bit of a pace. I reached out and grabbed him by the collar and shook him a few times. I used to be a bouncer so I know how to grab people."

Steve then walked the teenager back to the scene to await the return of the police officer, who had run after the driver.

Another member of the public caught the fleeing 12-year-old and handed him over to Steve, thinking he was a police officer.

Steve then waited at the scene, with a sullen youth dangling from each arm, for the police officer to return with the driver.

Steve said he was driven to act because he could not abide theft.

"I do not like crime and I do not like people stealing stuff. I have had my car stolen, so I know what it is like," he said.

Sergeant Kim Reid said the culprits were "unbelievably young".

"Police had just observed them and were going to follow them when they took off. It was a very short chase. They could not have picked a more solid object to crash into. They are unbelievable young. It is sad, actually," he said.

The 19-year-old has been charged with unlawful taking and the two young passengers are being dealt with by Child, Youth and Family.

Tram driver Ray Pyne said he was shocked by the collision.

"The car came round the outside of the bus and crashed right into me. It all happened very quickly, I just looked up and saw the car heading towards me," he said. His seven passengers were unharmed.

The incident is the second time bus drivers have helped Christchurch police collar a suspect in a month.

Three bus drivers worked together to box in a car being chased by police on June 28.
Hooray for bus drivers :wink: :lol:

The end result of the chase, under the tram.

Image
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