Farmers on the watch

Press, 7 May 1980, Page 6

Farmers on the watch

Local farmers decided that something was amiss after a cp.r carrying four youths and a girl left the road and crashed a few kilometres north of Parnassus at 7.45 a.m. yesterday. They went to offer assistance in true country style, but became suspicious when the occupants of the car showed no concern ?,bout the crashed vehicle, and immediately tried to hitch a ride away from the scene. The police were called, and a check showed that the car had been stolen from Christchurch during the night. By that time the youths and girl had been picked

up by a north-bound motorist, but the farmers decided to keep an eye on them until the police arrived, ?,nd set off in pursuit. The police at Cheviot and Kaikoura were alerted, and the car was stopped and the youths and girl arrested less than half an hour after the accident. “The farmers did a good job,” said a police spokesman. The five spent last night in the cells at the Christchurch Central Police Station. They will appear in the District Court or the Children and Young Persons Court charged with unlawfully taking the car.