Fugitive 'gentle guy', former landlady says

William Stewart. Photo / Supplied

Fugitive William Stewart who has been giving police the runaround for weeks is a "friendly, gentle guy" who never showed any aggression to her family, his former landlady says.

Police have been hunting for Stewart, whom they describe as dangerous, since he allegedly attacked a police officer with a metal bar.

Stewart lived with Christina Anderson and her family in Halswell, on the outskirts of Christchurch, from December until March.

He rented a bedroom and the garage, which police alleged he used to hoard stolen property and drugs.

The last time Ms Anderson saw Stewart was the day the armed offenders squad raided the house in March.

He had come home, gone into his room and realised a raid had taken place, and run out the door without saying anything, she told The Press.

Ms Anderson, who had two children aged one and three, said Stewart would leave the house at midnight and return at 6am, which she found suspicious, but she had no idea he was on the run from police.

"If I had known that I would have called the cops then and there.

"He never showed aggression towards us or anyone. If he was aggressive, we would have put two and two together."

Now she wants him to get caught, she said.

"This has gone on far too long now."

Police yesterday said Stewart was believed to have stolen another vehicle - a ute from a farm near Staveley, 42km north-west of Ashburton, about 3am yesterday.

Selwyn sub-area commander Senior Sergeant Stu Munro said Stewart used the ute's keys to start it.

The ute was a 2003 Nissan Navara 4WD flat deck with green sides, registration OTIRA.

- NZPA