Residents feared prowlers

Press, 15 August 1986, Page 1

Residents feared prowlers

From 808 SCHUMACHER in Greymouth The resident who called the police, Mr Russell Hunter, said he and his wife, Romola, were awakened by four rifle shots hitting tin near their house in Threadneedle Street, and by people knocking at the door. "I thought they were

breaking into the house. What with bullets ringing round and these guys on the porch we seemed surrounded by yahoos. They were making a helluva racket but we didn’t let them in. If they had told us why, we would have," said Mr Hunter. Mr Hunter said that he telephoned the police about 4.30 p.m. Two

policemen arrived in a patrol car within two minutes. “They were questioning the guys outside when two or three'more shots rang out, one breaking the car’s headlight. The two policemen ducked for cover inside and phoned for reinforcements. “They were concerned the gunman might come after the other two so they took us (Mr and Mrs Hunter and .their four children) over back fences and back yards of neighbouring properties.” As well as shooting out the lights on the police car, the sniper hit the street light at the entrance into Threadneedle Street.

“As we were leaving the end of the street, about five more shots were fired. I don’t know whether they were aimed at us, but you never know,” said Mr Hunter. Mrs Hunter, who said that her nerves were only starting to settle an hour after the man was taken into custody, said that some men had been living in a bus on the run-down property. The previous day three persons had been sitting outside on a veranda, drinking beer. Mr Hunter said he counted 63 shots in the police car alone. “We have lived in the street only for a couple of months; we thought it was a nice, quiet little street.”