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Aussie police to help stop looting in Christchurch

An army of Australian police officers arrived in Christchurch yesterday amid growing concerns over the spread of looting across the city

TheAustralian

An army of Australian police officers arrived in Christchurch yesterday amid growing concerns over the spread of looting across the city.

The 290 Australians, who received a standing ovation from appreciative locals as they walked through Christchurch Airport, were immediately sworn in as New Zealand police officers and last night were patrolling the streets of the city alongside their Kiwi compatriots.

The officers from across Australia will help secure the cordoned-off areas in the city's CBD -- which have been subject to repeated breaches since Tuesday's earthquake -- and the worst-affected surrounding suburbs.

The Australian officers will not carry guns but will be armed with batons, handcuffs and capsicum spray.

A further eight people were arrested in Christchurch yesterday for stealing offences, including two men who were charged in relation to the theft of two generators needed to provide power to a residential area without power.

Since the earthquake struck, 14 people have been charged over looting, but the crime wave is far more widespread than the number of arrests suggests, with police receiving hundreds of calls from people reporting thefts.

But Christchurch Superintendent Dave Cliff said yesterday, with the addition of the Australian officers, the city would be blanketed with late-night police patrols and he warned looters that they would be caught.

"Over the next 24 to 48 hours, if you're in the suburbs of Christchurch, you will see a radical saturation of police officers. So, once again, we do have the people out there, so if you have concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us," he said.

Two Australians were reportedly apprehended yesterday after impersonating search and rescue officers in a bid to gain access to the restricted areas of the CBD, while there were several reports of people falsely identifying themselves as charity workers collecting money for the relief effort.

But the promise of beefed-up police patrols across Christchurch has come too late for Bruce Wilkinson, who was the victim of looting on the night of the earthquake.

Mr Wilkinson's home in Woolston, in the city's south, suffered extensive damage during the earthquake, with one side wall collapsing. He was in Otago, five hours south of Christchurch, when the disaster struck and before he had the chance to return home, thieves stole his wife, Tracey's, jewellery and a number of other valuables.

James Madden
James MaddenMedia Editor

James Madden has worked for The Australian for over 20 years. As a reporter, he covered courts, crime and politics in Sydney and Melbourne. James was previously Sydney chief of staff, deputy national chief of staff and national chief of staff, and was appointed media editor in 2021.

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/world/aussie-police-to-help-stop-looting-in-christchurch/news-story/bb48fdfce554b5abc7f1dc7c4e5fe5f8