Week-end of crime and violence

Press, 20 November 1978, Page 1

Week-end of crime and violence

The Christchurch police broke a burglary ring of teen-agers but several inquiries are still continuing after the worst week-end of violence and crime in the city for many months. Five youths were surprised by two young constables in the act of unloading the haul from two burglaries at a flat in St Albans Street early yesterday. they will appear in the Magistrate’s Court today charged with burgling the camping store of Billens and Sons, Ltd, at 175 High Street, and the Pine Room coffee bar, next door to the camping shop. One of the youths has also been charged with two of the series of drug burglaries from doctors’ surgeries in Christchurch. He is charged with burgling the rooms of Dr J. A. Kirk and Mr J. H. Sinclair, at Milford Chambers in the grounds of St George’s Private Hospital, and the surgery of Dr J.

D, Lough, at 174 Papanui Road. Some of the drugs stolen in both burglaries had been recovered, said Detective Senior-Sergeant A. G. I. Rodgers, of the Christchurch C.LB. Inquiries into the drug burglaries were continuing, he said. Detectives worked ' iroughout Saturday night investigating several other serious incidents, including the fire-bombing of a house, the burning of a motor-cycle, and two serious assaults. A woman was arrested in connection with a fight at a party in Waltham on Friday night, in which a woman, aged 22, was slashed on the shoulder with a knife. The arrested woman will appear in the Magistrate’s Court this morning charged with injuring with intent. Two men were reported in a satisfactory condition in Princess Margaret Hospital last evening after

clashing with members of a motor-cycle gang in the car-park of the Black Horse Hotel, in Lincoln Road, on Friday night. One man was hit across the forehead with a chain, the police said. No arrest had been made by last evening. Detectives have ruled out the possibility of gang warfare after a firebomb was thrown at a house in Fairfield Avenue. Addington, about 3.50 a.m. yesterday. The bomb exploded against the wall ot the bouse, leaving a scorch mark. The occupants of the hpuse were not injured in the attack, which appeared to be “larrikinism,” said Detective Sergeant D. K. White. A man will appear in court today after a stabbing incident in Hagley Park early yesterday. The victim was not seriously injured, the police said, but no other details were available.