Police are on the trail of a handbag snatcher in Dunedin who swiped the bag from a woman\u2019s car as she returned from the cinema.<\/p>\n
Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said police were called to the theft in Tennyson St, about 9.40pm on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
A 64-year-old woman had returned to her vehicle parked in the street having just watched a movie at nearby Rialto Cinemas.<\/p>\n
But just after she had unlocked her vehicle and got in, an unknown man approached her front passenger\u2019s door, Sgt Lee said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018He asked if she had attempted to call him and then opened the passenger’s door, grabbed the female’s handbag off the seat and ran away towards York Place.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The handbag contained the woman\u2019s phone and credit cards.<\/p>\n
A canine unit tracked from the scene but the man was not found by police.<\/p>\n
The woman\u2019s vehicle was forensically examined yesterday and possible fingerprints from the offender were lifted.<\/p>\n
Enquiries were continuing to identify and find the man, Sgt Lee said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018Strong smell of cannabis\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
While patrolling the suburb of Mornington at 4am on Wednesday, police observed a vehicle being driven with both an expired warrant of fitness and expired registration.<\/p>\n
The vehicle was stopped in Water St and behind the wheel was an 18-year-old woman with a 19-year-old woman in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018As the officer was speaking with the driver, a strong smell of cannabis was smelt coming from the vehicle,\u2019\u2019 Sgt Lee said.<\/p>\n
The vehicle was searched and a total of 7.22g of cannabis was found, along with a glass bong.<\/p>\n
Formal warnings were issued for the possession of cannabis, along with an infringement notice for the driving offences, Sgt Lee said.<\/p>\n
Shoplifter found hiding in house<\/p>\n
A suspected serial shoplifter who allegedly plundered Dunedin supermarkets, hardware stores and petrol stations was arrested after he was found hiding inside a house, police say.<\/p>\n
While patrolling the suburb of Brockville about 9.30am yesterday, police found a vehicle belonging to a known wanted man parked in the driveway of a residential address.<\/p>\n
The 42-year-old man was wanted for a number of shoplifting and theft incidents \u2018\u2018at supermarkets, petrol stations, and hardware stores over the last four weeks\u2019\u2019, Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018Police searched the house and located the wanted male, who was hiding inside, and he was arrested.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The man was held in police custody and was scheduled to appear in the Dunedin District Court today with his bail opposed.<\/p>\n
He was charged with 11 counts of shoplifting and two counts of theft, Sgt Lee said.<\/p>\n