Above – the Palmerston North house outside which the raid took place.

New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place took another knock today as armed police threw gas canisters into a house in College Street, Palmerston North at 1.15pm.

According to a Stuff.co.nz news report, which contained frightening pictures of armed police taking shelter behind a police car, it appears the officers were simply effecting a routine arrest.

“Police have deployed gas canisters in an effort to flush out a wanted man from a house in Palmerston North.

Armed police arrived at the house about 1.15pm today to carry out arrest warrants and made three arrests, but police are still trying to get a remaining 32-year-old man to come out of the house.

A 37-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, both of Palmerston North, have been arrested, and will appear in the Palmerston North District Court tomorrow.

The man has been wanted for arrest since January on a number of driving and drug offences, and the woman has been wanted since October on assault and receiving matters.

A 26-year-old man was arrested and released with a warning for obstructing police…” more here

NZ Police usually only go in mob handed when there’s reason to believe the perps are armed. Reading between the lines there is likely to be gang involvement in today’s arrests (mention of “Wanganui connections”).

In other Palmerston North news. Aggressive beggars have been scaring the living daylights of motorists by opening their drivers’ side doors.

Brazen beggars have upped the ante in their quest for money by opening car doors to harass motorists.

In Palmerston North, acting inspector Brett Calkin said he knew of at least two instances in the past week of beggars approaching cars and opening the driver’s side door just after the driver had parked on Broadway Ave.

“We’ve had a couple of reports of that happening, particularly to elderly people, it can be quite frightening. We want them to call us straight away, or if someone sees it happening to call us, or go into the nearest shop and use the phone to call us from there.”… more here

Wikipedia censorship

Palmerston North, which has a known gang problem, gained infamy a few years ago. All references to its crime problem and gang activities was removed from its Wikipedia page because they were putting-off doctors and other professionals from moving to the town. Read Palmerston North’s Wikipedia Entry Censored to find out more.

Youth and other gangs

More recently, violent youth gangs had been causing problems late at night in the city centre. One of its suburbs, Highbury was once described in Wikipedia under Gang-related Crime:

• “The suburb of Highbury has had the most gang-related, violent crime incidents (including shootings, serious assaults and stabbings) nationwide in the past decade.  Members of the Highbury community have attempted to alleviate the negative aspects and perceptions of the suburb, but its violent past has made it known to other residents of Palmerston North as the most dangerous part of the city.”

Stun Grenades fails to faze Granny, school in lockdown

Edit: Three days later armed police in Whangarei threw stun grenades into a house in Mahana Place, Raumanga in Whangarei. An 88 year old neighbour said she’d lived in the street a long time and “learned to keep her head down during such action”. Meanwhile, Horahora Primary School parents risked police wrath by ignoring police instructions and picking up their kids, despite the school being placed in lockdown. Just another routine days work for NZ’s police

You may also be interested in our other blogs:

Palmerston North ‘NOT A Safe City’ say residents

Austrian Tourists Mugged in Palmerston North

Drunken Youths Loot Palmerston North Service Station

Palmerston North’s Wikipedia Entry Censored

All posts tagged Palmerston North

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