A teenage girl returning from a night out was allegedly attacked by a burglar who had switched off the power to her family’s home and sneaked inside while her parents were asleep.
Her father was woken by her screams and rushed to help, but he too was allegedly beaten by the man.
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Police investigating the serious incident at the Fifield Tce house in Opawa, Christchurch, in the early hours of Sunday believed it was random rather than targeted.
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A 31-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday. He was due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday on charges including aggravated burglary and assault.
The alleged attack had left the community rattled, with residents reminded to lock their doors.
Police first publicised details about the terrifying incident on Wednesday morning after fielding inquiries from Stuff.
It is understood the homeowners, who work for separate schools in Christchurch, were asleep in bed when the man allegedly sneaked into their house and turned off the power.
The home invasion occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in Fifield Tce in Opawa.
The couples 18-year-old daughter was confronted by him when she came home about 3.30am.
But instead of running off into the darkness, the burglar allegedly attacked her, punching her repeatedly.
The man turned on her father when he came to his daughters aid, before fleeing.
They were both taken to hospital with moderate injuries.
The father declined to comment when contacted by Stuff on Wednesday afternoon.
Police said they believed his actions prevented the attack from being worse.
A nearby resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said he woke in the early hours of Sunday to a very large crash that sounded like a garage door being shut.
He looked out of his window but could not see or hear anything else until police arrived at the house about 30 minutes later.
I could not see too clearly but there was no noise or lights or anything … until police showed up.
The man said he had lived in the area for several years and while he was aware of some burglaries, he had not heard of an incident of this severity.
He said the pair who were allegedly attacked had since told him it had been a scary and traumatic time for them.
He thought the alleged offenders behaviour was opportunistic and believed they were initially targeting a nearby house that was empty and being repaired.
The incident had not left him feeling scared about living in Opawa.
I have not really felt any less safe from it. It does go through your mind but it is just one of those things.
Some homes in Fifield Tce in Opawa were badly damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and the street is often prone to flooding.
A spokesperson for a school one of the homeowners works at said they were giving every possible support to our colleague but it is very much a private matter so we need to respect that in terms of any media comment.
Local community board chairwoman Alexandra Davids said the alleged attack and a recent spate of burglaries were a concern for the community, and would be discussed with residents at a board meeting on Wednesday night.
People can forget to lock up. I think it is really important to stay vigilant and look after one another.
It is super-worrying, safety is often something we take for granted.
Sacha Sayers, an office supervisor at the Risingholme Community Centre, said she emailed tutors at the centre to remind them of security.
Make sure you close your windows, lock your doors up … and look after each other.
Police urged anyone in the Opawa area who had property disturbed on Saturday evening or Sunday morning or who has information that may assist the investigation to contact them on 105, quoting file number 210613/2503.
