The man police say fired on them during a high speed chase in North Otago yesterday was shooting off again this afternoon. This time it was white supremacist slogans as he entered the Oamaru courthouse.
Inside, details emerged of what police say was a five-day crime spree by him and his female accomplice, while accompanied by two toddlers.
The pair, whose names were suppressed, are jointly charged with firing at the police, stealing a Land Rover and failing to stop. Police say more charges are likely as they piece together details of their crime spree.
After arriving from the North Island they travelled to Christchurch, where they were arrested for breaking into cars. Bailed, they returned to Picton and stayed in an apartment, which the owner, Greg Shackel, was appalled to discover was paid for by Work and Income.
They then stole his Land Rover and headed for Hanmer, buying $3000 worth of outdoor equipment with doubtful cheques before continuing to Ashburton, where they stole several guns. Their crime spree ended at armed offenders squad gunpoint in Palmerston yesterday.
Police are praising the tiny rural community for keeping calm as armed police locked it down.
"A huge number of people were inconvenienced," says Detective Sergeant Mike Ryder. "You know, we sent school children lying on the floor, it was just something out of this world for that community and I really appreciate how the community reacted."
"It's a weird way of putting Palmerston on the map," says witness Glenn Porter.
The two toddlers who were with the pair when they crashed the stolen Land Rover have been placed in CYFS care.
In contrast to their entry into the courthouse, the pair were calm and quiet as they sat in the dock for their short appearance. They were remanded in custody for another two weeks.
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