'Vigilante-style action' concerns

Police are concerned the issue of Kaitangata residents taking ''vigilante'' action could escalate after a surge of vandalism and petty crime in the past few weeks.

Clutha-Taieri Area response manager Senior Sergeant Alastair Dickie, of Balclutha, said police received information from ''various quarters'' about the ''vigilante-style action''. being taken in Kaitangata.

There have been several incidents of forced entry into houses, assaults and vandalised vehicles.

Snr Sgt Dickie said most of the information provided to police was ''second hand'' and no-one had made any official complaints. He advised people to report offending to police rather than ''dealing with things in their own way''.

On Sunday night, minor damage was caused to a car at Salcombe St when a tyre was set on fire about 11pm. The owner managed to extinguish the fire before more serious damage was done.

Last week, Constable Tanya Grant said two vehicles were damaged in Kaitangata and Clinton and it appeared it might have been in retaliation for other offending.

Snr Sgt Dickie was concerned the action taken by residents could escalate into something more serious.

The Kaitangata Swimming Pool was also broken into over the weekend and a fire extinguisher taken. Snr Sgt Dickie said the Combined Investigation Unit was inquiring into the break-in and other related issues identified in Kaitangata.

He said police did not tolerate ''vigilante'' action and warned arrests would be made if enough evidence was gathered.

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