Teen swims river but fails to escape police

A Blenheim teenager failed to escape police yesterday, despite swimming across a river and running hundreds of metres.

A Blenheim police spokeswoman said the 19-year-old had allegedly ripped his flatmates off at their Gascoigne St home.

He was trying to find accommodation at a backpackers when police caught up with him.

He was arrested, but managed to escape, running along the bank of the Taylor River, jumping into the water and then swimming across before running a further 300m or so before he was caught and arrested again.

He now faces charges including burglary, escaping custody, resisting arrest and breaching bail.

- NZPA