A jewellery thief ran a red light, narrowly missing a bus and pedestrians, as he fled a central Dunedin heist with a $2500 ring, police say.
The man walked into Stewart Dawsons, in the Golden Centre in Dunedin, and asked to view a $2500 ring before he ''grabbed the box and ran off'', Constable Jonathan Chatfield said.
''It's a snatch and grab.''
A man was later found in bushes outside a house in Spey St, Mosgiel.
The ring had not been recovered, Const Chatfield said.
The man fled the scene in a borrowed car, which was traced to another house in Spey St.
''He was found hiding in the bushes next door.''
The alleged offender ''declined to make a statement'' and his associate was ''not too helpful either'', Const Chatfield said.
A witness said the car ''nearly hit a bus''.
''He went straight through a red light.''
''A bus was going past and he whipped out and ... went around the bus on the wrong side of the road and he had to really veer - do a real S - to get back around the pedestrians who had just stepped on to the crossing.
''What an idiot.''
Stewart Dawsons staff declined to comment when contacted yesterday.
A 27 year old Waimate man was charged with shoplifting and bailed to a Waimate address when he appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday afternoon.
He is due to reappear in the Dunedin District Court on September 22.
