Crimeline - break ins, drunks, fires, thefts and rescues

4 minutes read
Posted 30 January, 2025
Policeman v39

Drunken imposter pushes his way into room

Police were called to Panorama Terrace after an unknown man allegedly entered a house through the front door at around 8.40am on Saturday, 25 January, trying to gain access to a room while the occupants braced themselves against the door. Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says once inside the occupants yelled at the male intruder to leave and the male occupant had to brace himself against the door to stop him from gaining access to their room. It was a scary experience for the couple, he says. When Police arrived, they found the 29-year-old allegedly intoxicated man in the garage of the house, also allegedly in possession of cocaine. He faced a charge of being unlawfully in a building and possession of cocaine in the Queenstown District Court and was remanded on bail to reappear on 10 March.

Man trying car doors in Panorama Terrace

A few hours prior in the same area a 30-year-old man was charged with unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle after Police received reports of a male trying door handles on multiple vehicles in Panorama Terrace. That was at 6.22am also on Saturday. The man appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Monday, 27 January, and was remanded on bail to reappear on 10 March.

Deliberately lit fire - Contractor saves Jack’s Point homes

The quick thinking of a contractor working at Jack’s Point saved a deliberately lit grass fire from spreading to nearby houses about 1pm on Monday, 27 January. Fire and Emergency risk reduction advisor Mark Mawhinney says that while the district is now in a prohibited fire season, fortunately the grass was quite short which meant the blaze didn’t take off as quickly, despite the dry conditions. “A local contractor was onto it with his big water tanker and had the fire pretty much out by the time Frankton Fire Brigade volunteers arrived at the scene which was a great effort,” Mawhinney says. Firefighters have been attending a few fires in the region that have started from equipment like lawn mowers striking stones in the dry conditions. He says people wanting to do outdoor tasks near fire risk should get started early before the dew evaporates. Constable Amanda Shute says neighbouring residents also helped put out the fire and Police would like to speak with “identified suspects”, and welcome any other information about the circumstances in which the fire was started. Enquiries are ongoing.

Car burglars target Kelvin Heights again

Police are urging residents in the Frankton and Kelvin Heights areas to remain vigilant after late night car thieves have been trying their luck in Kelvin Heights again with two vehicles broken into and badly damaged. One was believed to belong to a staff member at Hilton Queenstown and the other to an Oregon Drive resident. Shute says the vehicle broken into outside the Hilton overnight on 25 and 26 January had the rear quarter window smashed in and damage to the ignition barrel. A few days earlier the Oregon Drive resident says he discovered his Honda Civic car damaged in the exact same way, likely to have occurred maybe overnight on Thursday, 23 January. A neighbour had noticed the damage on Friday, but the resident says he only discovered it late morning on Saturday. Shute says residents need to report any suspicious behaviour and people to Police via 105 as soon as possible. Police are investigating both break-ins which are believed to be likely to be linked. “This causes a lot of pointless damage for no real reason,” Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson says.

High-end coat thieves still on the loose

Police still want to speak to anyone who can help them locate a man who they believe can help assist with their ongoing enquiry into the theft of a number of high-end jackets stolen from a Cow Lane store in Queenstown about 7.25pm on 10 January. They believe those responsible may be attempting to sell the jackets on an online marketplace.

Anyone who recognises this man is asked to contact Police by reporting information via 105, online or over the phone, quoting reference file number: 250111/5881. Information can also be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Heli-rescues on high

St John and the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter airlifted a patient in a moderate condition from the Greenstone Valley to Lakes District Hospital just before 10am on Monday (27 January). On Saturday, 25 January, another patient was airlifted to Lakes District Hospital from Ben Lomond following an accident just after 4pm. No condition or details were available on these, or for a patient airlifted from Coronet Peak to Southland Hospital just after 1pm on Wednesday (22 January).


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