Chef helps capture alleged car thief

Handcuffing and restraining a suspected car thief on the run was not what chef Glenn Manning expected while working at his food truck.

The owner of The Smokin’ Que was setting up for the Christchurch Night Market at The Hub Hornby when his employee yelled for him to come outside.

“I stepped out of the food trailer to a dog coming running past me off the lead and then soon followed by a cop. It definitely got the adrenaline pumping,” Manning told The Star.

His employee called for Manning after seeing two youths run around the truck.

One climbed onto the car park roof and the other ran through the car park with the police officer and dog in close pursuit.

The officer caught up with the youth and the police dog pounced, dragging him towards the footpath.

The officer then called out to Manning.

“He yelled out ‘oi come here’. At first, I looked around thinking he must be talking to another cop or something. Then he yelled out again and pointed at me.”

Manning ran over to assist. 

He said the police officer threw him a pair of handcuffs and said: “Put the cuffs on him. Hold him down till back up arrives.

“I was just thinking to just get in and get it done. When you’ve been asked for help by the cops you just jump in and assist,” said Manning.

Once he had the suspect restrained, the officer ran off to deal with the other alleged offender.

Manning figured out how to get the handcuffs on “pretty quickly”. 

He is no stranger to working with police, thanks to a former life as a volunteer firefighter in Rolleston and Wellington.

The offender had been bitten in the calf by the police dog, so he did not struggle much while Manning restrained him with the handcuffs and a knee on the back.

More police arrived to relieve Manning and arrest the suspect within a minute of last week’s incident.

“It’s definitely something you don’t see or get asked to do every day, that’s for sure,” Manning said.

The experienced barbecue-style chef started The Smokin’ Que business in 2016, and focuses on catering while also taking part in cooking competitions.

A police spokesperson said the two suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle in Spreydon on the day of or the day before the arrests.

They were spotted in the stolen vehicle in Kathleen Cres near The Hub shortly before Manning became involved about 5.30pm.

The two youths fled through Denton Park before being located and arrested by the dog unit, the spokesperson said.

They are due to reappear in Youth Court today and on September 5.

When police were searching for the second youth, Manning returned to his food truck for a typical market evening.

“The canine unit did yell out to me a bit later and say ‘thanks for your help.’ I appreciate them acknowledging that.”