A man was "trussed up like a chicken" after taking on the mainly elderly members of the Christchurch Petanque Club who found him hiding in the ladies' loo.
The pensioners became crime-fighters as they turned up for their regular game on Sunday.
Executive committee member Noeline Price said members had
opened up the North Hagley Park clubrooms as usual about 11am to find the trophy cabinet smashed, and "anything of value" - including the vacuum cleaner - gathered ready for a cleanout.
One of the women members tried to enter the ladies' toilet, alerting other members that the door was locked.
A large tattooed man aged in his 30s or 40s burst from the toilet and tried to push past.
Ms Price said the ensuing struggle was like an episode of the Keystone Kops.
"A very brave man, Bob Vernal, took him in a flying tackle and brought him down on asphalt.
"We're all old-age pensioners ... anyway we're all young at heart and all formed round him and held him down until the police arrived."
Former club president Ivan Hansen said there was a serious side to the matter - the man had a knife hidden in his clothes, which was found by police during a search.
The man had punched one male club-member in the neck and shoved a woman out of the way.
Mr Hansen said the man was strong and continued to struggle throughout the ordeal.
"One of the ladies went away and found a rope somewhere ...
"He was trussed up like a chicken when the police arrived.
Mr Hansen said it was hilarious that the man's apparent girlfriend later came into the clubrooms searching for him.
"I said, 'Has he got a lot of tattoos?'
"She said, 'Yeah'.
"I said, 'Well, I can tell you where you can find him - in the police station."'
A police spokeswoman said officers had arrived at the clubrooms to find the alleged thief "hog-tied".
A man has appeared in the Christchurch District Court.
Judge Michael Crosbie remanded him in custody without plea to December 19.
- NZPA
