Friends of nerve-gas extortionist warned

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 1

Friends of nerve-gas extortionist warned

The Christchurch police have spoken to a number of persons who have recently had contact with Bruce Douglas Cameron, the nerve-gas extortionist who is still at large after escaping from Oakley Hospital eight days ago.

“The police are concerned that various associates and friends have been assisting him,” said Chief Superintendent J. A. Jamieson.

He said there was no reason to believe that Cameron had left Christchurch. The last confirmed sighting of him in the city was at the Northlands Shopping Mall, Papanui, on Tuesday evening.

The police spoke to a number of persons on Wednesday evening in connection with the inquiry after searching houses in North Brighton, Merivale, and Bryndwr. Interviews with Cameron’s Christchurch associates had shown that he had not been able to obtain chemicals to make the nerve gas, Sarin-GB. Since arriving in Christchurch, Cameron had made arrangements with a person to make a hallucinogenic drug, “Angel Dust.” He had also sought the recipe to make the drug, Mr Jamieson said. Mr Jamieson had strong words for anyone who attempts to help Cameron. He warned that by helping him people risked facing a “very serious charge.” No-one had yet been charged with assisting Cameron. An Auckland detective helping the Christchurch police with the inquiry, Detective Inspector I. F. Hastings, said he felt the police

were “one step behind Cameron.” Asked about Cameron’s apparent number of associates in Christchurch, Mr Hastings said he believed Cameron might have met these persons in Auckland.

“Persons coming into contact with him are running great risks,” he said, referring to possible legal action against them. The police believe that Cameron might feel under pressure and want to talk to Mr Hastings, who has had contact with him previously. They have set up a special telephone line in the Christchurch Central Police Station should members of the public wish to report information confidentially or for Cameron to call in on. The telephone number is 797-999 and the police have given assurances that any calls to this number will not be traced. Mr Hastings said yesterday that Cameron had telephoned him in Auckland, after escaping from Oakley' Hospital. The call lasted only about 30 seconds and was believed to have come from Christchurch. When last sighted in Christchurch, at the Northlands Shopping Mall, Cameron had appeared “extremely agitated,” said Mr Hastings.

He was flushed and wore a crash helmet inside the

shopping mall. He wore blue jeans, a T-shirt, and carried a small bag. He was riding a blue step-through Honda motor-cycle. The earliest reported sighting of Cameron in Christchurch was last Friday, when he was seen photo-copying chemistry books at the main library at the University of Canterbury. Precautions had been taken should Cameron try to get to the West Coast, said Detective W. R. Thiele, of the Greymouth C. 1.8., yesterday. "In view of past history of fugitives heading for the West Coast in the mistaken belief that it is an ideal place to hide out, there is a real possibility that Cameron could come this way,” he said. “Because of this, we are actively liaising with our colleagues in Christchurch.” Cameron, aged 32, is 183 cm (6ft 3in) tall, has blue eyes, and a lean appearance. He has short hair, possibly dyed a rusty colour, and the condition, psoriasis, down the sides of his face, giving a reddish, pockmarked appearance.