Good samaritan runs over victim

A liquor store worker is in intensive care after being run over by a good samaritan who was trying to help stop two men who stole bottles of booze from his store. Photo / Thinkstock

A liquor store worker is in intensive care after being run over by a good samaritan who was trying to help stop two men who stole bottles of booze from his store.

Jack Gasnier, 59, is in a serious but stable condition at Waikato Hospital after being run over as robbers fled the Cambridge liquor store where he worked.

Liquorland Cambridge owner Bruce Walworth said his employee chased a pair of robbers who took five bottles of spirits from the store on Tuesday.

The two thieves jumped into a waiting car and tried to leave.

As Mr Gasnier tried to get inside the car and wrestle the thieves, a passer-by in a car who saw the scuffle parked in front of the offenders' car to block their exit.

But the good samaritan's car ended up on top of Mr Gasnier, who was lying on the ground after being knocked over.

The car had to be lifted off him.

Mr Gasnier was in a stable condition but not out of the woods yet, Mr Walworth said.

"He's as good as can be expected. He's got neck injuries, a broken bone in his neck, broke both shoulders, and a broken pelvis and multiple breakages in his ribs. He's still in intensive care and will be for a while."

To make matters worse, the same robbers went on to rob another of Mr Walworth's stores in Dinsale, he said.

He said he passed over footage of the thieves' number plate and security footage of the men to police.

Mr Gasnier acted on his morals, sadly to his own detriment, Mr Walworth said.

"He's a neat guy and to have this done to him is unfair to him. He's one of those guys who has strong personal beliefs, and pinching is one of those. He doesn't believe that they should get away with it."

"My policy with my staff is give them everything they want, observe, observe, observe. Take down all the information you can...They're not supposed to do what Jack did. I commend him, but I'm annoyed with him."

He said his liquor stores were often broken into or people ran off store with alcohol, but police managed to catch a good percentage of them.

"Very rarely we're able to apprehend them. Normally they get away and police do the work from there."

Police had found the car and were looking for three men, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead said today.