Note: This story was first published on Wednesday May 9
A group of locals in a small Canterbury town have taken the law into their own hands after they found out their cricket clubrooms had been burgled.
About seven members of the Glenavy Cricket Club confronted the occupants of an address last night, demanding their gear back - and getting a fair amount of it.
But police today said they were already investigating the burglary and the move could have gone wrong.
Sergeant Kevin Reynolds says: "It is lucky that in this instance things did not get out of hand."
Club president and team captain Ross, who spoke on condition of his last name being omitted, earlier told 1 NEWS it was well known around town that a group of people were squatting at a property near the petrol station, so they went over and confronted the occupants.
"There's been quite a bit of stuff going missing in the area," Ross said.
Hundreds of dollars worth of alcohol, electronics, clothing and even the club's score books had been taken, and Ross said other people in the community had reported fishing rods, kayaks and even firewood stolen.
Ross said the thieves had previously been caught robbing the local school, taking toys, balls, a rabbit hutch - and even the rabbits themselves.
"Everyone knew stuff was going missing back to there ... they're just squatting ... everyone in the area's bloody had enough of them."
In a video recorded of the confrontation posted on the club's Facebook page, the club members questioned the occupants at the address, demanding the stolen items back.
"Where's our f****** stuff?" they said.
“You've got our piss - you're drinking it now!
"Very suspicious that you jokers are drinking Woodstock when we had a whole heap of it stacked up.
"We just want our cricket gear back mate ... just give us the cricket gear and that's it."
Those at the property said they had no idea about any stolen property, saying it may have been put there by a previous occupant, who they said had recently been arrested.
Ross said he and his club mates took the law into their own hands because the law "favours the criminal".
"The cops can only do so much ... their hands are tied," he said.
Writing on Facebook, the Glenavy Cricket Club wrote "if anyone in Glenavy is missing property report it to the police as a lot of items are still there".
Other locals commented on the post expressing gratitude and approval for the raid.
"Bloody proud of you guys ... thanks for standing up for us all," one wrote.
Police discourage vigilante action
But Sergeant Reynolds says police discourage members of the public from taking matters into their own hands as they could place themselves and others at risk.
"Vigilante action such as this can harm police investigations and police would hate to see actions such as these hinder or prevent a prosecution against an offender," he said in a statement.
"Thankfully, the tenant of the property was cooperative and the situation didn’t escalate."
Sergeant Reynolds says police had taken finger prints after the burglary at the cricket club and were "following strong lines of inquiry".
He said the alleged offenders no longer live at the address. Police attended the porperty and returned the stolen items to the rightful owners.
SHARE ME