NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Knife at throat after act of kindness

NZ Herald
10 Feb, 2013 04:30 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Jason Dickinson, seen here with daughter Lily-Jean, admits throwing a rock at the vehicle wasn't the smartest thing to do. Photo / Matt Jordan

Jason Dickinson, seen here with daughter Lily-Jean, admits throwing a rock at the vehicle wasn't the smartest thing to do. Photo / Matt Jordan

Incident one of many as teen goes on rampage from Owhango to Taumarunui stealing at least five vehicles and eight firearms.

Rod Dickinson says he's unlikely to repeat the random act of kindness he showed to a complete stranger who returned the favour by putting a knife to his throat before calmly telling him he would kill him.

The incident was one of a number allegedly involving a 19-year-old man who went on a rampage from Owhango to Taumarunui stealing at least five vehicles and eight firearms.

The man is alleged to have threatened at least two people with a knife, including Mr Dickinson.

He is also believed to have threatened people with a firearm, including Mr Dickinson and his son Jason.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"He seemed really polite and well-dressed, it was like he was going to church when he came around and asked if I knew the number for a wrecker's yard," said Mr Dickinson.

"I checked the phone book for him and while I was doing that he swiped my son's keys and then the phone rang.

"It was my neighbour and she was telling me to be careful of this guy. The phone was on speaker and he heard it and put a knife here and said 'hang up the phone, or I'll slit your throat'."

The man left without harming Mr Dickinson in his son Jason's 1987 Honda Accord. He returned to the area about 20 minutes later after allegedly driving off from the Manunui Challenge service station with $79 of petrol when Jason Dickinson threw a rock at the vehicle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jason Dickinson said "it probably wasn't the wisest thing to do, but I just wanted my car back".

"He stopped and pointed it [the gun] at us and told us he would blow our heads off. It was pretty crazy s***.

"He slowed right down and jumped out of the vehicle and pulled out the rifle and let a shot off ... and then he took off back into town."

The Herald understands the man then went to the Mobil service station in Taumarunui where he ordered a pack of cigarettes but did not pay.

Discover more

New Zealand|crime

New charges close in crime spree case

10 Feb 10:30 PM

It is understood a staff member at the service station took the key out of the ignition and disarmed him. He then walked off from the station into the township.

By now police had swarmed on Taumarunui with armed offender squads called in from Wanganui, Palmerston North and Hamilton.

The town was cordoned off for at least four hours as 50 officers, a dog squad and several helicopters searched for the man, who was arrested by armed police not long after.

Wanganui Ruapehu sub-area commander inspector Steve Mastrovich said it was amazing no one was killed.

"It is amazing, really, and those very same people who helped him could well have been killed, it had all the hallmarks of a mass killing, really.

"But people should take comfort out here that if incidents like this happen, we are going to respond."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Mastrovich believes about five shots had been fired but he could not confirm where.

He said the police investigation was trying to piece together what happened over the area between Raurimu, Whakahoro and Taumarunui in the early hours of yesterday up until mid-morning.

The man has been charged with the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle but is likely to face more serious charges. He is to appear in the Taumarunui District Court this morning where police will be seeking to have him remanded in custody.

Rod Dickinson said he would be unlikely to help any strangers who came to his door. "Not now, no ... it makes you think about things."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Motorbike rider seriously injured in Central Hawke's Bay crash

Politics

Byelection: Te Pāti Māori candidate contender cops flak for supporting Labour MP’s selection

New Zealand

MetService Afternoon Weather: June 23, 2025

Watch

Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Motorbike rider seriously injured in Central Hawke's Bay crash
New Zealand

Motorbike rider seriously injured in Central Hawke's Bay crash

The rider was taken to hospital after a motorbike v car collision at Waipukurau.

15 Jul 11:58 PM
Byelection: Te Pāti Māori candidate contender cops flak for supporting Labour MP’s selection
Politics

Byelection: Te Pāti Māori candidate contender cops flak for supporting Labour MP’s selection

15 Jul 11:51 PM
MetService Afternoon Weather: June 23, 2025
New Zealand

MetService Afternoon Weather: June 23, 2025

Watch
15 Jul 11:47 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP