More detectives join inquiry into truck-bomb death

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 4

More detectives join inquiry into truck-bomb death

By

JEFF HAMPTON

Detectives from out of Christchurch have been called in to bolster the big team investigating the bombing of a rubbish truck at Sockburn on Tuesday, in which a man was killed. More than 30 detectives are working up to 14 hours a day on the case. Denis Murray Drinkwater, aged 40, a driver for Mogal Freight, died at 6.27 a.m. on Tuesday when he triggered a bomb by opening the door of a rubbish truck at a company yard. Detective Inspector David Haslett, who heads the investigation, said yesterday that the case was a jigsaw and that it would take time to piece everything together. Yesterday, for the first time, the police confirmed that an explosive device had been put in the

truck’s cab. They still are not calling it a bomb. Mr Haslett said that minute examination was needed before the police could say more.

The fact that it has taken the police three days to say that much is significant. It is also significant that more detectives have been assigned to the case.

In such big homicide inquiries, police investigators are usually keen to release as much information as they can.

Their silence and the number of people working on the case could indicate that a firm lead is under investigation. Suggestions that Mr Drinkwater was not the target have drawn no comment from Mr Haslett. He has also declined to comment on whether the explosion was related to a gang dispute

and that employees others than Mr Drinkwater were the intended victims. "I do not intend to comment on wild rumour and speculation,” he said. . “All avenues of inquiry are being investigated.” The police have also declined to comment on the triggering device for the bomb. The examination of the truck-yard, in Waterloo Road, continued yesterday. The police are also still keen to hear from anyone who has information which could help the inquiry. Another line of inquiry which detectives are also likely to have looked at is whether any explosives have been missing in Canterbury recently.

It could not be determined yesterday whether quantities of explosives have been reported missing.