Family's knifepoint ordeal

A teenager held a family of four at knifepoint for more than an hour yesterday morning, threatening to cut their throats unless they followed his orders.

The 16-year-old boy was a stranger to the Waikato family, who were woken up after he crept into their Cambridge home at about 6.30am.

Detective sergeant Ross Patterson told the Herald on Sunday: "It was terrifying. They won't forget this for a long time."

He said the first person woken to the home invasion was the woman's boyfriend, who opened his eyes to find a knife against his throat.

The boy then woke the woman who was sharing the bed, and forced the pair to get up and walk downstairs where two teenagers, aged 15 and 18, were sleeping.

"They were marched downstairs and made to alert the two younger people in the house. Then they were put together and marched about the house at knifepoint."

He said they were moved about the house, constantly at the end of a knife, for more than an hour. "He held knives at some of the victims and instructed others to move with threats.

"He was holding the knives to people's throats or beside their heads and saying, 'do this, do that,' and they complied so they wouldn't get hurt."

Patterson said all four were cut about the chest and neck during the hour-long drama. The cuts were not retribution for orders being disobeyed - Patterson said "he just did that".

With knives, he forced the four from room to room. In one, he demanded money and was given the small amount that was in the house. When he moved them to another room, he ordered and was given alcohol.

The boy then demanded the key to the car and tried to get them to drive away from the house. They all got to the car and the 18-year-old ran from the driveway, shouting for help.

"Some passers-by who were jogging past intervened at the request of the person that ran away. They came along and tried to calm the situation. As they talked it calmed him. That probably did help."

The boy left the property still carrying the knife. Nearby, he accosted a younger boy and took his bicycle from him using it to escape.

Patterson said the young man was being interviewed by police but they had no idea why he targeted that house or the family.

The boy will appear in the Hamilton Youth Court tomorrow charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery, injuring with intent and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Police in Cambridge want to hear from witnesses near Williamson Street and Dominion Avenue between 7am and 8am yesterday.

- additional reporting Martha Minifie-McKenzie