Rival gangs cooled by special police

Press, 21 May 1982, Page 4

Rival gangs cooled by special police

PA Hamilton Confrontations between rival gang factions in Taumarunui this week were cooled by a special police team from Wanganui.' “We’ve managed to settle things down a bit," said Chief Inspector Birnie Rowe, who arrived in the town on Tuesday evening with police reinforcements. Four Mongrel Mob gang members are being held pending court appearances for offences ranging from assault to dangerous driving. Mr Rowe said tensions between local mob members and visitors from Christchurch put the gang situation in Taumarunui “on edge.” A fight broke out in the Taumarunui Establishment Hotel on Tuesday evening and two people were arrested as a result. In the town’s main street, an intellectually handicapped girl was allegedly punched three times in the head by gang members on Wednesday evening. One man was arrested. Another gang member was arrested and charged with dangerous driving after a high-speed chase through the town. Adding to the problems of

the police was an eviction order on six gang members who had been living in a Lairdvale Street house. “We evicted them and kept a guard on the house till the early hours.” said Mr Rowe. "In the morning we allowed the former occupants back into the house to collect their gear.” Mr Rowe said police reinforcements in the town were to back up local police. “Normally there would have been one or two men on night duty and with 15 gang members to be handled, as was the case, it is helpful to have sufficient staff on hand for the job," he said. "Our main concern was to cool down the situation and I think we have done that,” said Mr Rowe.