Men face charges after ‘violent scuffle’ outside South Auckland takeaways

Two men are facing charges after a fight outside a takeaway restaurant in the South Auckland suburb of Ōtara.

Police say one of the men allegedly entered the restaurant on Bairds Rd about 3.30pm on Tuesday and stole a box cutter. He then got into an altercation with a young man on the street, leading to what police call a “violent scuffle”.

“Both men have begun to fight each other, resulting in the younger man suffering an injury on his chin,” Counties Manukau East Area Prevention Manager Inspector Rakana Cook said on Thursday.

“The injured man has then picked up a hammer and chased the older man with it as police arrived and took both of them into custody.”

A 36-year-old man has been remanded in custody to appear in the Manukau District Court on February 7 facing charges of possessing a knife in a public space, assault with a stabbing instrument and property theft.

A 17-year-old man has been referred to Youth Aid.

“This was a concerning incident as members of the public, including school children, were in the immediate area as this incident unfolded,” Cook said.

“I’m pleased we could bring it to a safe conclusion, and that no one suffered any serious injuries.”

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