Be on the lookout for any Cantabrian boneheads with a new laptop.

Visiting doctor robbed in Timaru incident
27 March 2006

A visiting Australian doctor had more than $10,000 worth of property stolen in a street robbery in Timaru on Saturday night.

The 28-year-old had been attending a conference at the Bay Hall, and was walking back to his hotel about 10pm. He was walking along Virtue Avenue towards Te Weka Street when he became aware of two men walking behind him.

Constable Chris Hill said the man walked more quickly as he walked up Te Weka Street towards Evans Street. He was talking on his cellphone at the time.

As he neared the intersection with Evans Street one of the men made a racial comment to the doctor and pushed him.

The bag the man was carrying dropped to the ground and one of the offenders looked in it, grabbed the contents, and took off back towards Caroline Bay.

Among the items taken were two laptop computers, two digital cameras, a cellphone and a $2000 watch.

Mr Hill said it appeared the incident had not started out as a robbery, but when the man was shoved and his bag fell to the ground, the offenders opted to take his possessions.

The doctor was not hurt.

He described the offenders as being caucasian and aged between 20-22. One was around 1.8 metres tall, and was wearing a red T-shirt. He had a tattoo on his lower right arm. The second man was wearing a black polar fleece top.

One of the men was actively involved in the robbery while the other stood by.