An 18-year-old youth was arrested in Oamaru last night after allegedly robbing a Japanese tourist at gunpoint in broad daylight.
Detective Sergeant Mike Ryder, of Oamaru Police, said the tourist one of a group of about 25 on Itchen St, Oamaru, near the Information Centre when the youth confronted him at 3.50pm with a BB gun.
The youth took $10 from the tourist before leaving the scene in a blue car.
"It was only a BB gun, but it doesn't make it look any less real when it's pointed at you," Det Sgt Ryder said.
Police arrested the man several hours later and charged him with aggravated robbery. The BB gun was recovered during the arrest.
Det Sgt Ryder said nobody was injured in the "hideous crime", and although the Japanese tourist was "shaken and frightened" by the incident, he was able to continue with the tour group.
"The particularly upsetting thing is that it has happened to a tourist. Of course it wouldn't have been any less distressing if it happened to a local person.
"But at this time, when we need all the tourist dollars we can get, it's disappointing because things like this can put tourists off visiting our town."
Det Sgt Ryder praised Oamaru residents and business owners in the precinct area at the time of the incident for rallying together to help look after the group of tourists while police conducted their investigations.
The youth will appear in the Oamaru District Court today.
