Early risers call the police

Press, 14 March 1984, Page 38

Early risers call the police

PA Masterton The end of daylight saving time and an alert hus-band-and-wife neighbourhood watch team led to the arrest of four people and the recovery of a stolen safe after a high-speed car chase in Greytown early on Sunday. A woman, who normally woke at 5 a.m. to go milking, woke at 4 a.m. on Sunday because her in-built “automatic” alarm failed to compensate for the change to standard time. After hearing strange noises across the road, she woke her husband and they investigated. The couple, who asked not to be named, crept outside and heard heavy grunting noises coming from a nearby supermarket. After hearing trolleys

trundling across the road and a car driving off with no lights, the husband raced to his own car to give chase and his wife telephoned the police. “I was terrified,” she said. “I thought my stupid husband could get himself shot or knifed.” The Masterton police organised an interception from Featherston, while the husband pursued the car at speeds of “around 160 km/h.” “When my lights got on them they really went. I was flat out but couldn’t gain on them,” he said. A police car joined the chase and pulled up the car. The husband then went home and did the milking. Two men and two women are being charged in connection with the incident.