How to solve crime - ring Stephen Franks!

Tame Iti, as you all know, discharged a firearm. Said he aimed for the sky - but discharged a firearm onto a New Zealand flag lying on the ground. Bad aim. This happened in January. Police were present - even the police confirmed that police were present. The TV camera's were present - they were even turned on and pointing in the right direction. The only things that were turned on in the police farce were the speed cameras down the road.

But Tame Iti was not arrested for dishonoring the flag or for any firearms charges. Why? Well, according to Speed Camera Minister George Hawkins, it was because ACT MP Stephen Franks didn't call the cops.

"Has the member laid a complaint with the police yet?" he asked of Franks in Parliament yesterday.

Good idea," thought Franks.

So THAT’S how you solve crime - Ring Stephen Franks!

If I get burgled, especially with the cops at my home at the time witnessing the crime, I think the only chance of getting an arrest or a charge of burglary would be to ring Stephen Franks. I`m lucky I have his mobile number. Beats ringing 111 any day.

Hawkins said that police are conducting a thorough investigation - in fact they were doing it in between speed camera jobs. Hawkins again,

"No shortcuts will be undertaken in this case…The police say that a thorough investigation is under way….The police are going through a thorough investigation…. I can say that the police are leaving no stone unturned in their investigation on Tame Iti…. the police are well resourced…. The police, however, have to collect the evidence."

So the Minister sends a media release asking the police to do a media release with an update to the case.

Today he was charged. I still don`t know if the police collected the evidence. They could have recorded the news tonight - they screened the footage again.

It’s a shame that other people have more influence on the timing of a police charge, particularly when the police are doing the work of raising funds for the consolidated fund, all with the blessing of our own Speeding Camera Minister.

UPDATE Police charged Tame Iti yesterday afternoon after recording the news on Wednesday night to get the evidence - after teh issues was raised in Parliament.

Smart detective work! Well done Franks.