Thief tackled by bus driver

Bus driver Kotaro Haro's actions to stop a thief were like something out of a movie - he clung to the door of the thief's getaway car and was dragged several metres along tarseal.

It was a hard day's work yesterday for the Rotorua-based driver, who is originally from Japan.

As the thief who just broken into his bus tried to get away, Mr Haro grabbed on to the side of his car door. He thought his actions were enough to stop the thief, but instead the thief put his foot down and sped off - causing Mr Haro to suffer several cuts and grazes on his arms and legs.

The drama unfolded in the carpark of the Aorangi Peak restaurant, near the top of Mt Ngongotaha.

The thief got away, but was later spotted by Detective Sergeant Chris McLeod of the Highway Patrol at the southern end of Old Taupo Rd. When the man saw the police he ditched his car in the Te Puia carpark on the corner of Hemo and Old Taupo Rds and ran off towards the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park.

Police spent yesterday afternoon scouring parts of the Springfield area, including the holiday park, farmland behind the holiday park, Tihi Rd, Otonga Rd, Mokoia Dr and Kerswell Tce looking for the man. He is still on the run but police say they have strong leads.

Mr Haro, who lives in Rotorua and works for Reesbys, had taken a bus load of Korean tourists to Aorangi Peak for lunch before planning to head to Te Puia.

A staff member at Aorangi Peak noticed someone acting suspiciously around the bus about 12.30pm and went in to the restaurant to tell Mr Haro.

Mr Haro went outside with the tour guide and got on the bus - disturbing the thief in the act of trying to steal luggage and clothes.

"I said 'what do you think you are doing?' and he pushed me really hard. We tried to keep him there and were fighting with him."

The thief had Mr Haro's wallet, which had credit cards and about $80 cash inside.

As the thief ran to his getaway car and tried to drive off, Mr Haro grabbed hold of the door.

Reesbys transport manager Dallas Grant said it was lucky Mr Haro and the tour guide stopped the thief when they did.

"If he had got away with all their passports and documents it would have been a real shambles ... it's the usual story, it doesn't do Rotorua any good when tourists get broken into."

Sergeant Ryan Yardley of the Rotorua police said another tourist bus was broken into at the Aorangi Peak carpark on Sunday afternoon and several travel items were stolen. He said police were looking into the strong possibility the two thefts were connected.