Fugitive breaks ankles in leap for freedom

A teenager who has been running from police for more than three months won't be going far after breaking both ankles when he jumped from a window trying to evade capture.

Levi Hemana, 19, is in a stable condition in North Shore Hospital after he jumped from a second-storey window at The Warehouse in New Lynn on Tuesday.

He had been taken to the office by security staff after he was allegedly caught shoplifting. Police confirmed that Hemana attempted to get away by jumping out the window, but he was seriously injured when he landed on the concrete below.

Police have made numerous appeals for information about Hemana since he allegedly cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and escaped home detention on December 30.

A police source described Hemana's leap for freedom as "unfortunate. He won't be able to run from police for a little while."

A week after Hemana absconded from home detention and while he was actively evading arrest, he and a 17-year-old youth allegedly used weapons in an unprovoked attack on a 39-year-old man.

Waitemata police spokeswoman Beth Bates said Hemana was expected to remain in hospital for several weeks.

"Upon his discharge from hospital, he is expected to face a number of outstanding charges in court, including assault and wilful damage," she said. "It is likely he will also be charged with theft."

- Anna Leask of the New Zealand Herald

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