Lawyer slams media over medal-theft coverage

Suspect K (far right) and an associate (far left) evade the media outside the Auckland District Court yesterday.

Lawyer Chris Comeskey has hit out at media for hounding people they think might have been involved in the theft of war medals from Waiouru Army Museum.

One of the suspected war medal thieves escaped from Mr Comeskey's central Auckland office yesterday by jumping from an upper-floor window and making a series of dramatic leaps to the street below.

The man, who can only be identified as K because of a court order, had earlier appeared in the Auckland District Court with the other suspect, W, for a hearing about burglary charges unrelated to the theft of the 96 medals on December 2.

K, who is free on bail on those charges, ran from the court refusing to answer questions from reporters.

After a Herald photographer was jostled and abused by one of K's associates, they ran into the Kingston St office of Mr Comeskey.

Mr Comesky last month claimed credit for brokering the return of the medals by negotiating with the thieves.

He said the actions taken by the media were a disgusting display of gutter journalism and the media should stop speculating about who might have been involved in the medal theft.

Mr Comesky had not been acting for either K or W at Wednesday's court hearing. He said he was not in Auckland yesterday so could not even be sure the man being chased - K - was a client of his.

K did not come out the front door of Mr Comesky's office again, but a witness described seeing a man matching his description dangling from a yellow rope at the rear of the building.

"He realised it was not going to work and went back into the building," said the witness, who did not want to be named.

The witness said it took about 20 minutes for K to make his way to the ground nine metres below. K jumped off a balcony and on to a narrow ledge.

He lowered himself and then jumped down on to another ledge and walked along it. K then made his final jump of about five metres to a carpark driveway. He then disappeared through the underground carpark of an Albert St building.

The earlier court hearing further confirmed W and K's position as suspects, with detectives in attendance from the central police district where the medals investigation, codenamed Operation Valour, is based.

Detective Sergeant Debbie Gower, who was present at the medals handover, waited outside.

At least one undercover officer mingled with the public at the court.

The two suspects were at court for a hearing that was largely suppressed about unrelated burglary charges dating to 2003. It is understood they have known each other for 20 years.

Suspect W attended the hearing in his Mt Eden Prison uniform, where he is being held as a sentenced prisoner on a further unrelated crime.

The prison, K's West Auckland address and a third address in the Greater Auckland area believed to be linked to W were searched by police on Monday.

W, 37, is a convicted thief and fraudster who was on bail at the time of the medals theft after striking a detail with police over a Goldie painting and other artefacts taken in a similar crime.

Mr Comeskey wasn't in his office when K and his associate went there yesterday, but a staff member let them stay for four hours.

- with NEWSTALK ZB