Three young men are helping police with their inquiries into an incident in Oteake Conservation Park last week, in which a man was allegedly assaulted after confronting three trail-bikers who were riding on historic gold sluicings.
After a report in yesterday's Otago Daily Times, three young men went to the Dunedin Central Police Station yesterday "to give their version of events", Constable Hugh Tait said.
Const Tait, who was based at Ranfurly during the holiday period, said he would be returning to Dunedin later this week and would follow the matter up with the young men.
Oteake is in the Maniototo-Manuherikia area and the man who reported the incident to police, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he was driving with a companion in the park on December 30, and they observed three trail-bikers riding on up and down gold sluicings in the Mt Buster diggings area.
The young men, on off-road motorcycles, were riding in an area off limits to motorcyclists.
The man said he photographed and confronted the riders and alleged they blocked his exit from the park, damaged his vehicle and assaulted him.
On Sunday, Const Tait said police viewed the allegations with concern and appealed for the public's help in identifying the motorbike riders.
