Spate of poppy thefts in Christchurch

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 6

Spate of poppy thefts in Christchurch

Three poppy thefts were reported to the Christchurch police yesterday. About 60 poppies were stolen from the rear of a property in Hamilton Avenue, Fendalton, about 5.30 a.m.

Shortly before 1 p.m., a small number of poppies, which are sought for an extract containing opium, were stolen from a property in Redruth Avenue, Spreydon. A white car in rough condition, believed to be a Peugeot, about 1962 model, was seen leaving the area. The occupants of the car were two skinheads. Later in the afternoon a Mount Pleasant resident reported about 15 poppies missing. The first poppy theft of the growing season reported to the Christchurch police was on November 22, when six poppies were stolen from the front garden of a property in Kitchener Place, Opawa.

• A man who was treated for a knife wound to his face at Christchurch Hospital on Monday even-

ing has refused to lay a complaint with the police.

Detective SeniorSergeant Colin Dalzell said that the man, who required 30 stitches to his face, had told people he had been attacked near the Carlton Hotel, Papanui Road. He said that he had ridden . home on his motor-cycle and then got his flatmate to take him to the hospital, at 11.45 p.m. Detective SeniorSergeant Dalzell said that the man had refused to discuss the matter with the police.

Several months ago the same man had reported suffering knife injuries to his’ leg, which the police believed were selfinflicted.

• A prowler has recently been reported in Trent Street, Avonside.

The Fitzgerald House home for the aged has had a problem with prowlers in recent weeks and on Monday at 11.45 p.m. reported that someone may have been on the roof of the home.

The police spoke to man in the area at the time but were unable to make a connection with the incident. • A man acted indecently in front of a girl, aged 17, as she rode home on a bus on Monday afternoon.

The girl caught a Halswell bus at 5.15 p.m. from Cathedral Square and noticed as the bus was on Moorhouse Avenue that the man in the seat opposite her was performing an Indecent act

The man got off at the same bus stop in Lincoln Road as the girl but did not make an advance. The man was described as part-Maori, 170 cm tall, aged between 20 and 30, of average build, with short, black hair. He was wearing glasses, which may have been worn as a disguise, blue tracksuit pants and { a sweat shirt

The police would like to hear from anyone who may have had a similar experience on a bus, have travelled on the same bus or know the person described.