Brave boy bops brazen bike bandit
Chain-cutting would-be thief runs for it once helmet smashes into his head
Quintin Packer was not about to see his prized Christmas present — a bike from his parents — get stolen right in front of his eyes.
So when he spotted a young man armed with bolt cutters attempting to cut the chain from his bike outside a Kerikeri supermarket, he knew he had to act.
“I was panicking and I didn’t [know] what to do, so I decided to hit him with my helmet.”
The 12-year-old was with friends last Friday about 4.30pm. They had just ordered at the Pizza Hut around the corner when Quintin walked towards the New World supermarket, off Kerikeri Rd, to get his bike.
He spotted the man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and with the hood up, trying to take the bicycle. The thief was in his late teens to early 20s.
“[I thought]: ‘Gosh, is my bike going to get stolen?’ Once I hit him, I was expecting him to fight back. I was glad when he ran away.”
Quintin’s father, Jamil King, said he was grateful there was no retaliation.
“I think the guy got a hell of a fright because he just jumped up and just bolted. Quintin didn’t say anything. He just went straight up to him be- cause he saw that he had bolt cutters . . . trying to cut the chain off.”
Police are investigating and CCTV security footage from the area has been passed to authorities.
A police spokeswoman confirmed a complaint had been received regarding a 12-year-old boy witnessing a male trying to steal his bicycle outside a supermarket on Friday.
“The boy hit the suspect . . . Police encourage members of the public — especially children — not to take the law into their own hands. If you witness someone attempting to take your property, call the police immediately on 111.”
Despite that, Quintin’s proud dad said: “He saw a situation and straight away focused. He didn’t just go into shock and stand there. I always say to be alert and focused because you never know what could happen.”
Quintin had a message for anyone who might wind up in such a situation: “Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.”
And he had a few words for the would-be thief: “What causes you to want to steal other people’s stuff?”