The seagull, the chips and the car park stoush
From reporter Hamish McNeilly:
An argument over a chip-loving seagull ended with a knife being pulled and police called to the scene.
The incident unfolded in the car park of a Green Island supermarket on Saturday, about 7.35pm, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said.
The callout was prompted after occupants of a vehicle, who were eating chips in their parked vehicle, managed to entice a seagull inside.
The occupants were told to “cut it out” by another motorist, who was not amused by their antics.
That led to the group getting out of the vehicle, and challenging the motorist, including pulling a knife on them.
Police located the vehicle and invoked a search without warrant and recovered the knife.
Police were now awaiting CCTV of the incident to determine what transpired.
The person who presented the knife was a 15-year-old boy, Bond said.
The seagull was not injured in the incident.
“I assume it managed to get away with some chips.”
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.5% Yes
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46.5% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
🚒 Our Fire and Emergency crews have been kept busy lately
And they’re once again reminding everyone: please don’t light fires when it’s windy.
Central Otago will move into a restricted fire season from 1 December 2025, which means anyone planning an outdoor fire will need to apply for a permit and plan ahead.
So we’d love to ask you — how do you make sure you’re being fire-safe at this time of year?
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