Robbery suspect arrested after pursuit
A college in Masterton went into lockdown yesterday afternoon while police arrested an armed robbery suspect in a neighbouring property.
Police were involved in two pursuits of the suspect’s vehicle before he crashed at the intersection of River Rd and Johnstone St on Masterton’s east side. He then headbutted a police officer while being arrested.
Senior Sergeant Jennifer Hansen said the man was suspected of robbing a Masterton service station early on Thursday morning, and was spotted in Lansdowne suburb about noon.
The man was initially spotted on First St and police attempted to pull him over.
‘‘But the driver’s failed to stop, and they (police) engaged a pursuit but abandoned it,’’ Hansen said.
The suspect was located 3 kilometres away in Cameron Crescent a short time later and a second pursuit began.
‘‘He’s been observed doing burnouts along River Rd and then he’s spun out of control and gone through the fence of this property,’’ Hansen said.
The suspect fled on foot and jumped a couple of fences but was tracked by police dog handlers.
A bag of cash and cigarettes believed to have been taken from the recent robbery of the Gull service station was found in the blue Mazda he was driving.
Hansen said the driver also rammed a police car during the pursuit. A police vehicle sustained ‘‘some damage’’.
As the pursuit finished close to Makoura College on Johnstone St, school authorities were informed and they elected to put the school into a temporary lockdown for a brief period from 1.16pm.
An 18-year-old Masterton man was charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, escaping custody and driving charges.
Hansen said the whole incident was ‘‘concerning’’.
‘‘Right from the aggravated robbery . . . and then to carry on and put a whole bunch of other members of the public and the police at huge risk.
‘‘Any time a driver decides to flee from police, there’s a real danger element involved.’’
The suspect was on the wrong side of the road in the initial pursuit which led police to abandon it quickly, Hansen said.