Knife pulled on witness to car chase

A man who witnessed a police chase had two of his vehicles damaged and a knife pulled on him, with four people arrested over an alleged aggravated robbery.

Manawatū police yesterday arrested four men, all aged 19 and 20, following the alleged aggravated robbery of two vehicles on State Highway 3 near Ashhurst and a crash on Ruahine St in Palmerston North, which led to a firearm being recovered.

All four suspects were due to appear in the Palmerston North District Court today.

Palmerston North man William Puha was caught up in the action when he was at home on Ruahine St yesterday morning and heard sirens approaching.

Puha said he saw a silver car pull out to pass two other cars on a corner, then lost control and smashed into the back of his ute, which was parked on the road and got shunted forward into his other vehicle, damaging all three cars.

‘‘He must have got too close to the other car and tried to correct himself and it was too late and he hit into the arse of my truck. I’m quite surprised he got out he was going that fast.’’

Puha said the silver car bounced back, then a young man got out of the car and ran down his neighbour’s driveway.

‘‘I followed him and he jumped the neighbour’s gate and I jumped the gate.

‘‘While he was running he had a bag on his shoulder and as I was chasing him saying ‘stop’ he had his hand in the pouch trying to get whatever he had. He got it out and turned around to me and then I turned and ran.’’

The man from the car had pulled a knife. An armed police officer had arrived, so the offender took off again.

Manawatū acting area commander Inspector Phillip Ward said the investigation was ongoing, but police were not seeking anyone else and there was no risk to the public.

Police had noticed a person of interest speeding on SH57 at Aokautere about 7.20am.

The car failed to stop and was not pursued, but was spotted 10 minutes later.

Road spikes were deployed and the car was spiked by police near Ashhurst. It stopped on SH3, near Hacketts Rd.

Police were told one of the occupants was armed and they had stopped motorists on the highway and took two vehicles, injuring one person.

Two people in a minor condition were treated at the scene by St John.

‘‘The victims who had their vehicles taken were shaken, and one has been treated for a head wound,’’ Ward said.

‘‘Given the immediate threat to the public, a pursuit was then authorised.’’

Police chased the vehicle through Palmerston North, but called it off as it became too dangerous.

The fleeing car crashed shortly afterwards, with police arresting a 19-year-old man near Ruahine St. The other vehicle drove to Feilding, where the other three suspects were arrested by the police and armed offenders squad about 12pm.

‘‘The arrest of the outstanding three suspects is thanks to good police work and the local knowledge of our officers,’’ Ward said. ‘‘This was a fast-moving, dangerous situation and we are all grateful that nobody was seriously hurt.’’