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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Eleanor Ainge Roy

Flock of sheep helps police end 90-minute car chase in New Zealand

Sheep NZ
A flock of sheep blocks the road, helping New Zealand police arrest fleeing suspects in central Otago. Photograph: Che Baker/Fairfax Media NZ / Southland Times

A policeman’s flock of sheep have come to the aid of authorities in Queenstown, New Zealand, after stopping a car that had been on the run for over 90 minutes.

Police began the pursuit of a Honda Integra after it had been spotted speeding without number plates on Friday morning.

A subsequent chase ranged far and wide over the Central Otago region, and eventually led police to the back roads of the district.

But a 150-plus flock of sheep, being herded along a road by a local farm worker, entirely blocked the runaway car’s escape route, forcing it to make an abrupt stop.

Pursuing police were then able to arrest a number of men.

It later emerged that the flock of sheep was owned by a local policeman.

“I started taking pictures right away but it was so hilarious, it was so funny, I couldn’t help laughing,” said Che Baker, a journalist who was at the scene for Fairfax media New Zealand.

“The farmer herding them just kept doing his job as if nothing had happened and the sheep weren’t worried by the fuss at all – they carried on normally and weren’t aware they had become duty police that morning.”

Baker said the police on the scene behaved professionally and focused on arresting the offenders, who were “agitated”.

“I don’t know if the local officer trained the sheep or not, but they sure did a good job in stopping that car.” Baker said.

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