A Queenstown mother put her teenage son in police custody when he allegedly became violent and abusive after drinking and smoking cannabis at a party in the town on Friday night.
Constable Terry Wood, of Queenstown, said the woman picked her 16-year-old son up to take him home, at which point "he lost the plot".
Once handcuffed and inside the police station, he became violent with two male officers.
He has been referred to youth aid.
• A Dunedin man (18) allegedly deliberately activated the fire alarm by smashing the protective glass at Base Backpackers on Shotover St early yesterday morning.
Constable Tracy Haggart, of Queenstown, said the man set off the alarm when he returned to the backpackers at 1.18am after a night out in town.
Firefighters evacuated the backpackers bar of both guests and patrons.
The teenager has been charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence and could face a $1000 fine.
• A Queenstown community patrol man (33) had to drive himself to Southland Hospital yesterday with suspected spine and cheekbone fractures after he was allegedly headbutted, punched and kicked on the ground by an "extremely intoxicated" Dunedin man (21) early yesterday morning.
Const Haggart said the violence began at 1.39am on the corner of Church and Camp Sts when the man's acquaintance (21), of Queenstown, recognised the patrol man from a previous encounter.
An argument ensued and the Dunedin man punched the victim in the face and kicked him while he was on the ground.
The Queenstown man has been charged with disorderly behaviour while the Dunedin man has been charged with assault with intent to injure, a charge which could be upgraded depending on the seriousness of the victim's injuries.
• A replacement $4000 NIWA sun recorder has been stolen just 11 days after the original theft of the gyroscopic device from a fenced weather station on the corner of Park and Brisbane Sts.
Const Haggart said the first theft happened on November 10 when the device was ripped from its fixture.
It was replaced on Thursday but was stolen again during the weekend.
Const Haggart urged the person who stole the device to return it, or for anyone with any information to contact police.
The thefts could prompt Niwa to stop using the weather station altogether, she said.
