Last updated 13:51, June 27 2018
NZ POLICE
Three men allegedly tried to raid the New World supermarket on Ferry Rd, in Christchurch, about 4.15am on May 29.
Three men allegedly tried to raid the New World supermarket on Ferry Rd, in Christchurch, about 4.15am on May 29.
A Christchurch teenager allegedly robbed a North New Brighton dairy and attempted to raid a supermarket.
Tai McDermott, 19, was remanded in custody when he appeared before a community magistrate at the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.
The Woolston teen is next due to appear by video-link from the prison on July 20, after the first appearance and remand without plea.
His charges are linked to another teenager, Bronx Winiata, for whom police issued charges three weeks ago even though they were not able to find him.
Winiata, aged 17, is jointly charged with McDermott for three offences. When the charges were laid, Winiata was alleged to have committed the offences "with persons unknown".
Police now allege one of those people was McDermott and the charges also name a third person.
They say the group was in a car that had been unlawfully taken late on May 28 or early May 29, in Christchurch – a Subaru Impreza.
The group allegedly attempted to break into the New World supermarket in Woolston, with intent to commit theft. Police issued photographs of the men at the supermarket's glass doors, while it was closed at 4.15am.
Police said a few hours later, about 8.30am, three people were allegedly involved in robbing Jenny's Dairy in Bowhill Rd, North New Brighton, of Boomerang cigarette filters and a box of Easylite lighters.
No-one was hurt in the robbery.
After laying the charges against Winiata, police detailed the efforts they had made to find him and a community magistrate issued a warrant for his arrest. The Christchurch District Court said he remains at large.
About the time police laid the charges, they appealed for information from the public to help identify offenders who carried out a series of dairy robberies in Christchurch in the first week of June. They said they particularly wanted to hear about anyone offering cut-price cigarettes or selling an unusually large amount.