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Man who caught burglars charged with kidnapping

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Wed, 18 May 2011 1:00p.m.

Dave Clemence was charged with unlawful detention after taking the two suspects to the police station (file pic)

Dave Clemence was charged with unlawful detention after taking the two suspects to the police station (file pic)

By James Murray and Jeff Hampton

A North Canterbury business owner who apprehended two men accused of burglary at his Kaiapoi drilling company has appeared in court on kidnap charges after he “delivered” them to police.

Dave Clemence, who owns Clemence Drilling Contractors Ltd, told the Northern Outlook his premises had been burgled six times in recent months and is offering a $3000 reward for the return of a ute stolen from his driveway.

He was charged with two counts of assault with intent to injure and two charges of unlawful detention after taking the two suspects to the police station in his car.

“I couldn’t understand why I had been charged,” he told the Northern Outlook.

“It’s unbelievable, we dropped them off at the police.”

The pair, Carl Clark, 23, and Matthew Pender, 20, told police they had been kidnapped and said they had sustained injuries when they were detained.

The police said the injuries were consistent with their story.

Clark and Pender were also in court today on burglary charges related to the same incident.

Clemence’s predicament has seen him gather local supporters, with many turning up to court to wish him well today.

He has been asked to reappear on July 18 for what is thought to be a pre-trial conference.

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Comments

20 May 2011 10:46a.m.

Rupert wrote:

What's the problem with Dave doing the cha cha on these scum bags? Excellent work that man!!

19 May 2011 06:34p.m.

stephen wrote:

yep police bent my tools and wagon got stolen i lost a building contract as a result of theft.Tools wagon and contract value cost $70,000.I got a name after three weeks of own detective wrk reported to keystone cops no result he was police informer for drug busts no action taken was told politely to piss off fourth week tipoff i found him asked him for wagon an tools i got knife in my arm twice from him i got him down with force and tied up so i am not attacked me in court for attempt kidnap and assault with intent to cause grevious bodily harm in court he admitted the theft he went home protected from the law i went to prison with stab wounds and no tools and no wagon

19 May 2011 12:03p.m.

David wrote:

The only thing he did wrong was take them to the police

19 May 2011 08:39a.m.

sean wrote:

To the person called Gwen. Your last paragraph does not sound like it belongs in this conversation. However it does indicate you seem to hate the public in general because of the actions of a minority of miscreants. If the press has misrepresented the facts then the press is inciting people to make comments they would not otherwise make. But people who comment here are commenting on the story they read -- not on facts they don't have access to. I've personally tried to file a complaint against an NZ citizen who sold me a hovercraft that he never provided. Swindled us out of 200,000.00. They refused to even investigate the swindler. The reason? They said that they were not prepared to spend money on a complaint from a foreigner who was swindled. They said it would be different if I was a local. I spent a lot of money to travel to NZ and the police would not so much as even question the guy. Foreigners are, according to the NZ police I spoke to, not always entitled to legal protection from local criminals.

19 May 2011 08:27a.m.

sean wrote:

Whatever happened to "citizens arrest"?? Doesn't New Zealand have that provision within their legal code? Clearly the guy made a citizens arrest. The whole concept of a "citizens arrest" is provision for exactly what he did. Perhaps NZ is more of a third world country than we realized. No offense I have some great NZ friends and such but charging someone for unlawful detention for catching criminals is absurd beyond comprehension.

18 May 2011 10:02p.m.

Alex wrote:

A jury of his peers will decide the right thing. And what us right often his little to do with where the police invest their time. It is about time they worrying about victimless crimes and worried about the victims of crimes.

18 May 2011 07:17p.m.

Brendan wrote:

Whatever happened to the good old days where when you did a home invasion and there happened to be a bikie staying overnight sleeping on the couch and gave you a bloody good hiding because you picked the wrong house! Those were the good old days where people were actually deterred from doing crime in case the rottweiler got woken up - but now it just gets put down and you get arrested for sticking up for yourself & your livlihood, or defending your wife, kids and business you've worked so hard for...

18 May 2011 06:56p.m.

Sara wrote:

Unfucken believable. and you wonder why crime is on the increase.

18 May 2011 06:49p.m.

Daniel wrote:

This is just another example of New Zealands corrupt and pathetic excuse for a legal system. The system is protecting offenders as usual. Suppose without offenders all those high paid lawyers would be out of jobs.

18 May 2011 06:20p.m.

Andrew wrote:

He's not above the law; if he used excessive force when detaining them he should face the consequences. Nonetheless, if these people committed the burglary at night, it is strange that he's also being charged with kidnapping or unlawful detention because section 35(b) of the Crimes Act 1961 justifies the detainment.