Now police want to find out where the Marine and Aerospace Survival Systems survival kit, which includes an emergency personal beacon, in a red bag came from.
Sergeant Tony Woodbridge yesterday said police with two warrants - one for failing to attend the Oamaru District Court and another for outstanding fines - went to arrest a 30-year-old Oamaru man on Wednesday afternoon.
When the man saw police, he took off from Frome St and was chased around north Oamaru streets on foot.
During the chase, he threw away the survival kit which, police believed, had been stolen. The man refused to give any details about the bag.
He was eventually arrested, with help from the public, and appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on two charges of theft, two of possessing utensils to use drugs, three of fraud and two for breaching bail.
He was remanded in custody to appear in the Oamaru District Court on October 13.
Police think the kit may have come from a boat. Anyone with information was urged to contact Sgt Woodbridge.
