Army, fire service to patrol at-risk suburbs

10:48 pm on 2 March 2011

Police say army vehicles and fire trucks are being sent to Christchurch suburbs where people fear being targeted at night by criminals taking advantage of the large number of empty houses.

Superintendent Dave Cliff says local council members and MPs are feeding information to police about which suburbs and streets are feeling most vulnerable.

He says residents in suburbs which have been feeling abandoned, such as Bexley, Avonside and New Brighton, should see emergency services patrolling their areas on Wednesday night.