A vineyard owner’s quick actions, paired with an unexpected show of teamwork, led to the arrest of two Canterbury men accused of stealing 900 litres of diesel from a rural Waipara vineyard.

At around 2.30pm on Saturday, 29 September, the two men arrived at the vineyard in a small truck hauling two large containers.

As they drove from tank to tank, filling up with diesel that wasn’t theirs, the vineyard’s alarm system alerted the owner via their cellphone.

Realising there should be no one on site, the owner immediately contacted police.

Officers, along with a police dog handler, quickly arrived at the scene.

In a stroke of good fortune, a drone operator and a local helicopter pilot, both of whom happened to be nearby, also joined in to assist.

Thanks to the combined efforts of police and the aerial support, the two fuel thieves were swiftly arrested, said Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel, Waimakariri and Hurunui Response Manager.

“It’s not common to have both a drone pilot and a helicopter operator offer help, but their assistance was invaluable. The vineyard covers a large area, and the aerial view made it impossible for the offenders to escape,” McDaniel said.

He praised the vineyard owner’s preventative measures and the collaboration between police and the rural community in achieving a successful outcome.

“This is a great example of a coordinated approach between police and the local community, working together to hold offenders accountable and keep our community safe,” he said.

The two men, aged 35 and 51, have been charged with entering agricultural land with intent to commit an imprisonable offence and failing to carry out obligations related to a computer search. They are set to appear in the Christchurch District Court on 22 and 23 October.