21 January, 2017

Self-defence in the News - No. 97

Young Kiwi man stops home invasion

- Michael Daly

January 21 2017




Logan Burke is a burly young man but he admits to a moment of fear when he jumped out of bed to grab the intruder who had just woken him up.

"I found the perfect moment to jump up and pin him against the wall," Burke, 19, said "It was pretty scary to be honest that little effort." He was relieved to find the intruder did not have a weapon.

The tale of how Burke and the two other Kiwi tradies he shares an apartment with in Australia apprehended a burglar in their Perth home has received widespread coverage across the Tasman in the past few days. Many of the reports have suggested the burglar picked the wrong apartment to break into.

Burke, who is from Te Awamutu in Waikato and stands 1.93 metres tall, was woken around 2am by the intruder going through the bedside table next to his head.

"He just had my hat and my watch on...He had the torch in his mouth also. It was kind of shining in my face."

That was when Burke decided to wait for the right moment, which presented itself as the intruder walked around the end of the bed.

"When I pinned him up against the wall I wasn't expecting him to throw punches." But that's what happened and Burke was hit by two glancing blows.

"That's when I pushed him off and started to throw a punch myself," Burke said. He also yelled out to the "boys" - 20-year-old twins Dylan and Tyran Davis, from Waipu in Northland, who he lives with.

Together the three dragged the intruder from Burke's bedroom to the dining room but it wasn't easy going.

"He was a real strong bloke," Burke said.

"All three of us were trying to grab him and he was still trying to get out." The intruder kept throwing punches.

"He grabbed a bottle that was on the bench and tried to swing it at my mate...It was just nuts," Burke said.

"He smashed a big jar on the ground."

The three housemates tried to keep the intruder in a chair until the police arrived. They gave the intruder, who said he was asthmatic, a drink and some water to clean the blood off his face.

While the intruder was caught, some of Burke's property remains missing. He has been unable to find a bag, his wallet, some jerseys and other property, while Tyran's phone is missing.

The housemates searched around the apartment complex where they live in the seaside suburb of Scarborough in case their belongings had been stashed somewhere, but without success. Burke said they were also wondering whether the intruder may have had an accomplice.


A man has been charged with burglary and assault following the break-in, while police ruled the three Kiwis had used reasonable force to stop the intruder.

20 January, 2017

Self-defence in the News - No. 96

Young Woman Fights Attacker


JONATHAN CARSON


January 19 2017





A young woman managed to fight off and escape from a sexually-motivated attacker in a public toilet in Richmond.

The 18-year-old woman was driving through Richmond, near Nelson, when she stopped at Jubilee Park to use the public toilet between 11.30pm and 12am on Wednesday.

While inside, she was assaulted by a man, described as Maori, in his 40s and of large build.

He had a distinctive thick beard that came down to his chest area and bushy eyebrows.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Johnston, of Nelson Bays police, said the woman fought back and managed to "scare him off".

She suffered minor grazing as a result of the struggle.

"The victim is understandably shaken but thankfully was not seriously injured," Johnston said.

Based on what occurred during the attack, police believed it was sexually-motivated.

The woman immediately called police who searched the area but did not find the man.

Police are appealing for information from the public to help identify the offender.

Johnston said police would like to hear from anyone who was in the Gladstone Rd area between 11.30pm-12am last night and may have seen or heard anything suspicious.

"If you believe you know who this man might be police would like to hear from you," Johnston said.

He said police completed a scene examination on Thursday morning and were speaking to people in the area.

Johnston said on Thursday afternoon members of the public had not yet offered information in relation to the incident.

Information can be reported to Nelson police n 03 546 3840. Alternatively, anonymous information can be reported to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

10 January, 2017

Brendan


Kung fu man Brendan with the new wall pad he made for our school.

08 January, 2017

Self-defence in the News - No. 95

Gunman feels wrath of shopkeeper's broom

07 January 2017

By Ben Hill




Most people would take a few days off if a gunman stormed into their shop and fired a bullet into the ceiling - but not Bharati Gandhi.

The owner of Devyish Superette in Kilbirnie, Wellington fought off an armed robber with a broom, and was back at work the very next day.

The robber entered the store on Friday afternoon, demanding money. He fired a bullet into the roof of the shop, before fleeing with about $100 cash about 1.20pm.

She was unscathed after the incident, and told the Herald she was up for another shift behind the till.

"I'm all right to stay," she said.

She was able to smack the robber over the head with a broom before he made off with about $100 cash, she said.

"If I stayed here behind the till, he will kill me. So I just let him take the money."

Her daughter Divya was also in the shop when the robbery occurred.

It was a late start at the shop for Bharati the next day as she was unable to sleep for much of the night.

"Last night I didn't sleep. I woke up at 11 o'clock in the night, and at 1 o'clock and at half-past 3.

"I was still a little bit scared that he might come in again."

Gandhi said she has been praised for her courageous broom-wielding efforts.

"So many people have said 'Good idea'."

A police spokeswoman said "inquiries were still ongoing" into the incident.

Detective Senior Sergeant Warwick McKee said a man entered the superette and threatened the woman with a handgun.

"The offender pointed a firearm at a female shop employee and demanded money from her, and fired a shot towards the ceiling," he said.

As he was running off with the cash, the woman hit the offender over the head with a broom handle.

"The offender may have an injury to his head or require medical attention," McKee said.

The man was last seen running across Kilbirnie Park, between the Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre and the Poneke Rugby Clubrooms, about 1.25pm.

"Police would like to hear from any person who may have witnessed this incident or knows the identity of the offender."

Police are providing support to the woman.

"The unlawful use of firearms, particularly of a threatening nature, is of serious concern to police," McKee said.

"It is important that anyone with any information on the identity of this offender speaks to police."

The offender is described as a Caucasian man in his mid-20s, about 1.7m tall and of slender build. He was wearing black trousers and a long-sleeved black sweatshirt under a sleeveless orange high-vis vest.

Any witnesses or people with information should contact Wellington police on 04 381 2000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

02 January, 2017

Self-defence in the News - No. 94

14-year-old girl fights off night-time attacker




A 14-year-old girl was left shaken after she was assaulted in Nelson last night.
She was walking with her 12-year-old sister in Stoke when the attacker approached her near the public toilets at about 10.30pm.
She fought off the attacker by kneeing him and pushing him away.
The young girl and her sister were left shaken by the incident.
The offender is described as Caucasian, aged between 40 to 50, around 5ft 7inches tall. The man of medium build had brown or blonde hair cut very short and was wearing a blue T-shirt with black on the shoulder, black shorts and white sneakers.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have been in the area at the time and saw the man.
Any information can be passed on to Nelson Police on (03) 546 3840 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11775724