Queenstown police were kept busy with a raft of offences over the weekend, beginning late Friday afternoon with an Invercargill man (28) who allegedly exposed himself to members of the public while urinating at the Frankton Reserve in broad daylight.
Acting Sergeant Tracy Haggart, of Queenstown, said the man was arrested at Lake Ave and charged with offensive behaviour.
• A Frankton couple - a man (54) and woman (51) - were charged with obstruction at 7.19pm Friday at a house in Robertson Rd when they tried to stop police from entering to issue a search warrant.
• A Queenstown man (45) was caught by police breaking into an aircraft hangar of a heli-tour business on Hawthorne Dr, Frankton at 9.30pm Friday.
Acting Sgt Haggart said the man - who faces one charge of burglary - admitted to police he had been inside the hangar.
• Later, at 10.20pm, a female American tourist was knocked unconscious by a car driven by a 19-year-old Queenstown male on Camp St near Searle Lane.
Acting Sgt Haggart said the woman was found unconscious and taken to Queenstown Hospital with moderate lower back injuries.
She had since been released.
"It was raining quite heavily at the time and visibility has probably been quite a major factor in the collision."
No charges had been laid but inquiries were continuing.
• Just before 11pm, three Danish tourists, all aged 20, were charged with theft after being spotted allegedly stealing a bottle of vodka at the Minus 5 ice bar at Steamer Wharf.
"One put the bottle under his coat and tried to leave the bar," Acting Sgt Haggart said.
The trio were detained by staff until police arrived.
• Two carloads of Cromwell youths caused culinary chaos with a food fight at Frankton's new McDonald's restaurant just before midnight on Friday.
"Basically, they made a huge mess by throwing burgers and sauce around, both inside and out in the car park," Acting Sgt Haggart said.
She said one of the youths, who had stolen a sign from the restaurant, came to the Cromwell police station the next morning.
However, because it was not known how old he was, she did not know if he would face a charge.
• At 3am on Saturday, an English man (28) was charged with disorderly behaviour after allegedly becoming involved in a scuffle with bouncers when thrown out of Surreal bar on Rees St.
• On Saturday afternoon, an Auckland man (28) was arrested on outstanding warrants resulting from two alleged historical thefts in Auckland and one from a Queenstown hotel room earlier on Saturday.
The man was alleged to have stolen the contents of the mini-bar, an iPod dock and an iron, and to have left the hotel without paying.
• At 1.11am on Sunday, a Queenstown man (21) was arrested by officers keeping an eye out for him after an assault the weekend before.
Acting Sgt Haggart said the man was alleged to have got into a verbal altercation with another man in Rees St at 2.15pm the previous Saturday.
"He swung at the man, missed and hit his female partner on the top of the head.
"She was knocked over but had no injuries," she said.
• Just minutes later, at 1.20am, a Queenstown woman (17) was charged with assault after allegedly assaulting a male acquaintance (18) in the CBD.
"He's thrown her an insult and she's reacted by dealing to him," Acting Sgt Haggart said.
• Three Queenstown fire appliances, a backup tanker from Glenorchy and two standby helicopters battled high winds to quell a fire near a house at Closeburn, which started early Sunday evening when trees fell on power lines.
Southern Fire Communications shift manager Andrew Norris said the fire, which began in a high-risk fire zone, caused a lot of concern among residents.
The fire was notified at 6.15pm and put out by 7.15pm.
No-one was injured and no property damaged.
• Two cars were in a collision, but no-one was hurt, at the crash-prone intersection of Glenda Dr and Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway in the morning rush hour on Monday.
The crash occurred when the driver of one car tried to turn right on to the highway.
Constable Hugh O'Reilly, of Queenstown, said neither female driver was injured but both cars were "extensively damaged".
Queenstown police, the Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade and St John Queenstown attended.
• A 23-year-old Englishman suffered injuries when he was assaulted outside the Altitude bar about 3am yesterday.
The man was hit in the face by what was believed to be one offender and made his own way to the Lakes District Hospital, Const O'Reilly said.
Inquiries were continuing, including a follow-up of security camera footage.
• An Australian and four Israeli tourists were released with a warning by police when they allegedly ate a bag of dried fruit without paying for it, while in Fresh Choice supermarket.
