Teen caught after fuel station robbed again
A service station worker was ‘‘smacked around the head with a hammer’’ during an earlymorning robbery in Christchurch.
Police said the Caltex Blenheim Rd attendant suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital after six men made off with cash and cigarettes about 1am yesterday.
Detective Sergeant Brad Grainger said a 15-year-old boy had been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and appeared in the Christchurch Youth Court yesterday.
He was remanded in custody. The other five suspects are still being sought by police.
It is the second time the Blenheim Rd station has been robbed in four months. The owner declined to comment.
First Security guard Kane Ritchie, 25, who has been in the job for only two weeks, was doing a routine check on the building next door to the Caltex when he ‘‘noticed something wasn’t right’’.
‘‘The lights in the Caltex building weren’t all on. I looked and saw the front door smashed in and a car parked outside,’’ he said.
He said he parked his car near the offenders’ grey Honda Accord, honked, and saw four men run out to the forecourt and into the Honda.
A getaway driver waiting in the car sped off and Ritchie followed.
‘‘I rang the police as soon as I took chase. I told the police the rego and what streets they were going down until I lost them.’’
Ritchie said he lost the car near Jellie Park and headed back to the Caltex to check on the attendant.
The man had been ‘‘smacked around the head with a hammer’’ but appeared fine.
He said he felt ‘‘proud of myself for going after them’’, though the whole event was a bit surreal.
‘‘I was quite surprised this morning, when I ran into that.
‘‘The cops thanked me because if I didn’t follow them the police wouldn’t have known what area they were heading.’’
Grainger said the car used in the getaway was found early on Monday afternoon.
‘‘We have seized the vehicle at a residential street in Christchurch and we will be conducting a forensic examination on it.’’
He said police were speaking with witnesses and would continue to follow up leads. Anyone with further information can contact Christchurch police.