NZ at Noon: Pot shots, quake brothels and lamb larceny

Oamaru police Community Constable Bruce Dow is seeking information from the public to identify this piece of Oamaru stone from a statue. Photo / Rebecca Ryan

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include a man taking pot shots at a pregnant woman and her child, prostitutes setting up shop in quake damaged buildings and what happened to King Kong and friends?

A man has been arrested after apparently taking pot shots at passing vehicles with a high-powered air rifle on an isolated Whangarei road.

Christchurch prostitutes have been working out of an abandoned earthquake damaged block of flats much to the annoyance of local residents.

King Kong, Patches, Snowdrop, Little Kiwi, Bolt and Cocoa were snatched from their home at Kai Iwi School.

Do you recognise this piece of Oamaru stone? Vandals used it to smash four windows in the Oamaru Public Gardens Display.

Someone has apparently nicked hundreds of historic photographs from a Far North museum.

Patients arriving at the emergency department of Kaitaia Hospital will be asked if they have consumed alcohol prior to the injury.

Northland's grim road toll continues.

Prince is about to go into retirement.

In the past financial year there were 3525 child abuse notifications in Napier but the figures were worse in Hastings.

A Tauranga councillor is opposing plans by his council to remove a stand of pohutukawa trees at Mount Maunganui.

A psychology researcher has found that having sex and partying were two of life's most enjoyable activities.

A series of parties in the same Rotorua flat complex ended in a brawl in which two teenagers had their skulls fractured.

A man who disappeared after a fatal boating accident in Tauranga has been arrested.

New home buyers are apparently pouring into Hawke's Bay.

General disorder around the Elgin shopping centre, involving youths and alcohol, has reduced with the high visibility of new Community Constable Willis Tamatea.

Wairarapa astronomer Richard Hall has warned about the dangers of staring at the sun ahead of tomorrow's solar eclipse.

Booming Hornby is to get a huge $400 million business park while Sydenham is suffering from a new rash of tagging and etching.

The death of a former Dunedin woman in New South Wales is to be looked at by the coroner following a private investigation by her family.

An 18-year-old exchange student from Asia has been left with facial injuries and bruising after an attack by three men in South Dunedin.

Many young bisexual people apparently resort to binge-drinking due to feeling stigmatised and socially excluded.

The court case against a man charged with causing the death of Allan Hubbard has been postponed.

The policeman who led the Pike River Mine rescue bid two years ago is heading to polytechnic for training in search and rescue.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at noon were: #AskE3, #E3FollowSpree, New Zealand, #ttrttpt, Xmas, #nowplaying, Christmas, Auckland and #NZGT.