Hamilton City Council and police work together to catch would-be robber attempting to pull driver from vehicle

The 28-year-old will now appear in court charged with assault and attempt to rob.

With the assistance of the Hamilton City Council, police were able to foil the plans of a robber in the early hours of this morning.

A 28-year-old man has been caught and will appear in Hamilton District Court on Wednesday charged with assault with attempt to rob.

This morning at around 1.10am, a City Safe employee noticed a man acting suspiciously near the traffic lights at the intersection of Wairere Drive and River Rd.

The employee notified the police, who were dispatched to the area. As the police arrived, a vehicle was approached that was stopped at the lights and an attempt made to pull the driver from the seat.

Luckily, the driver was able to get away, however, the offender was not as lucky.

Hamilton City prevention manager Senior Sergeant Scott McKenzie said the quick arrest was the result of proactive work at Hamilton City Council which monitors the city’s traffic cameras.

“Police value the relationship with City Safe staff who are able to assist police in preventing crime through early detection,” McKenzie said.

“Hamilton Police and Hamilton City Council, alongside partner agencies, are continually working on a range of initiatives that can further enhance our city’s safety.”

Hamilton City Council City Safe unit manager Kelvin Powell said most Hamiltonians are not aware the amount of effort that goes into monitoring the city round the clock.

“Our continued investment into CCTV (including recent funding from central government), as well as our highly trained staff, allow us to work with police to tackle crime and deliver great outcomes, and safer communities,” Powell said.