A man was taken into custody after a two-hour stand-off with police. Photo / George Heard
A man accused of going on a knife-wielding rampage in Christchurch yesterday has appeared in court.
The 31-year-old man, who has interim name suppression, allegedly stabbed one person and robbed another at knifepoint.
He was arrested after a two-hour stand-off with armed police.
The man appeared from custody at Christchurch District Court this morning charged with four counts of aggravated robbery and one count of assaulting police.
A Community Magistrate remanded the man without plea and in custody to March 17.
Police were called about 4pm yesterday with reports of a robbery on Ensors Rd in the Waltham area of the city.
A teenager waiting at a bus stop was threatened by a man holding a large knife and their phone had been taken.
A friend told the Herald the terrified boy handed it over.
"He took one of the boys' phones," the friend said.
"He was pretty scared so he gave it to him."
Others at the bus stop were also allegedly threatened.
One woman said the man threatened them at knifepoint too.
He asked for a man's watch and put a knife to within 5-10cm of his chest.
"He held a knife to him," a woman said, relaying the incident.
A witness who lives on Fredrick St said the man also confronted his neighbour.
He said she answered the door to a man with a knife.
"He just rocked up knocked on the door ... she had her baby on her hip," he said.
"He was completely unknown ... he demanded her money and wallet and phone."
Police then received a second report of an assault on Isabella Pl.
A person had been stabbed and was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Police followed a man to a Mackenzie Courts flat where they surrounded him for two hours.
A man was finally arrested just after 6pm and taken into police custody.
A selection of cartoons from Herald cartoonist Rod Emmerson over the past year