Man faces theft charge after crashing van near bridge

A 23-year-old Timaru man has been charged with stealing a van from Blenheim after he rolled the vehicle near the Hurunui River bridge in North Canterbury yesterday.

The man was picked up by police hitch-hiking near the crash site after he allegedly ran off after extracting himself from the badly damaged van.

The man's dog was not so lucky.

Constable Peter Ross, of Cheviot police, said police found the pitbull terrier covered in blood and in shock. The animal would not let police near it and had to be shot.

Mr Ross said police also found gear in the van that had been reported stolen from Picton. Further charges were likely.

The van, owned by a Blenheim contractor, was a write-off.

- NZPA