Police order armed patrol off Martinborough streets

Police have ordered an armed community patrol off the streets of the Wairarapa town of Martinborough after a violent clash with youths last week.

The self-appointed community group formed last month after a spate of burglaries and property crime in Martinborough, the Dominion Post newspaper reported.

On Thursday the group was shut down by police after a shot was fired during a clash between night patrol members and local youths.

The group of around 40 men patrolled the town from 10pm until dawn in cars, by foot and on bicycles, taking registration numbers and watching for suspect behaviour.

Sources told the newspaper the group carried weapons but the group denied this.

Masterton police acting senior sergeant Carolyn Watson said four people were arrested after the incident.

An 18-year-old man faced assault charges and a 33-year-old faced firearms charges.

Two youths would also appear in Masterton Youth Court.

Mrs Watson said community patrols should act as eyes and ears for police, but she warned against "taking the law into your own hands".

The man dubbed "the sheriff" said the group were doing the right thing and it was not "vigilante behaviour at all"

Since the group formed, three teenage girls and a 12-year-old boy had been caught as part of police investigations into dishonesty offences, he said.

- NZPA