Police put a cord around a property in Sydenham after a threat.
Photo: RNZ / NATHAN MCKINNON
A 70 -year -old man was arrested in Christchury after making threats that took a series of houses being evacuated.
Police said the man was scheduled for court on Tuesday accused of “law threatening in relation to housing.”
On Monday, a police cord was in the Sydenham suburb and nearby houses and companies were evacuated.
“The address will now be released as a precaution to ensure that there is no continuous risk to the public before the Cordons encounter,” police said in an update on Monday night.
“Police would like to thank the Sydenham community for their patience and understanding while we work in the afternoon to solve this safely for everyone.”
At the beginning of Monday, nearby residents told RNZ that there was a bomb threat.
The police were called for a speech at Percival St around 10:40 am to report that a person was making threats.
As a precaution, the police evacuated people of adjacent properties and a cord of approximately 100m is in force around the address of Rua Percival.
People should be clear until the situation can be safely resolved.
Police evacuated properties in Sydenham after a threat.
Photo: RNZ / NATHAN MCKINNON
Tennyson Street resident Leon said police said there was a bomb threat, and he was invited to move to Colombo Street.
Some Colombo Street companies near the scene were also evacuated.
An owner of a store that did not want to be named told RNZ that there were rumors of a potential pump in the area.
“We were instructed to evacuate the building as soon as possible and go to at least 100 meters away, and this was all the information we heard,” she said.
The evacuated coffee worker Aidan Mytton said the situation was scary.
“I’ve never had to try anything like this before. It’s a little scary, I think, but everyone is evacuated to make me feel a little safer.”
Another company, which did not want to be identified, told RNZ that he could see at least a dozen police officers and a police dog.
“Many of us are standing on Evacuado Colombo Street, it’s been happening for over an hour,” she said.
Police placed a cord around a property in Sydenham, Christchurch, after a threat.
Photo: RNZ/NATHAN MCKINNON
She said people were worried about their properties and wondering what was going on.
A coffee owner told RNZ he didn’t know when he would be able to go back inside.
A woman who lived near Beckenham St said the area was usually safe.
“We heard that there were threats in the area and we just saw many police cars and fire trucks at the end of our street,” she said.
“It’s worrying because it’s not something you hear about it in this area.”
The fire and the emergency said they were helping the police.
Rnz understands that the residents were being left back in their homes inside the cord just before 18h.
