Cycling shortcut delivers wanted man into arms of police
by Laine Priestley · Otago Daily Times Online NewsA wanted Dunedin man made the job of law enforcement considerably easier by riding his bike directly into the police station’s restricted alleyway
The man, who was on bail for a raft of charges, failed to report to police as required for his bail conditions on Monday, Constable Eli Stafford-Rogers, of Dunedin, said.
However, at 5pm yesterday, the man took a shortcut from the Bus Hub to Cumberland St by riding his push bike down the Central Dunedin Police Station’s restricted alleyway.
He was spotted and subsequently arrested.
The man was searched and police found he was carrying a knife on him.
Further inquiries revealed he was allegedly the perpetrator of a string of shoplifting offences from around the city.
He had also been the subject of a handful of wilful trespass offences.
“He was subsequently charged with those offences along with possession of a knife in a public place, Const Stafford-Rogers said.
"While police appreciate members of the public making themselves available to be spoken with using a restricted police access way as a shortcut remains an unconventional way of doing so.”