A policeman has been caught on camera accusing an alleged car-jacker of having "a big smile" on his face as his partner-in-crime tried to run the officer over.
Two men were arrested last night after an armed robbery, car-jacking and high-speed police chase.
The pair allegedly robbed a Henry's Bottle Store in Queenstown at knife-point just before 7pm, stealing cash and fleeing the scene in a stolen BMW.
After a short pursuit the car crashed, and the first of the offenders was arrested.
"You had a big smile on your face when you just about run me over," the officer is heard telling the suspect, who was wearing glasses, a grey hoodie and a backpack.
"I wasn't driving, sir," the suspect, his hands cuffed behind his back, protests.
"No, I didn't say that," the officer replies, "but you had a big smile on your face. Bit of a joke, was it? Running a cop over?"
"No," the young man pleads. "I didn't know what his intentions were."
The second offender fled into the bush, but was found once a helicopter and police dog were brought in.
"I'm being honest with you – all I've got is the cash that I got handed by him," the first man arrested tells the officer.
"How come you didn't give up when you did a runner from the car?" the officer asks. "We had a chopper up in the air, we had dogs coming from Invercargill."
Both men, aged 17 and 24, are now in custody and will appear in Queenstown District Court this morning.
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