Arie Smith, you may go free.

Finally the penny drops and Arie goes free attended by the newest excuse that he needed to be assessed as to his ability to commit the devious crime of rescuing light bulbs from a damaged building. Taking them home to place on the mantle piece as a point of pride and discussion with his friends of how interesting they were and where among the gloom of a fallen city 2 young men had taken them, been arrested and thrown into prison.

Dave Cliff, acting Assistant Commissioner of Operations, explained that an independent report was required. Dave missed the bus. A whole lot of folk in this country didn't need an independent report to tell them that a looter doesn't steal things of no value from a damaged building owned by a couple who never complained, or were even told that they had been 'stolen.' Police on the ground are well equipped and capable of assessing criminal intention, guided by common sense and not hysteria, they could tell, like the rest of New Zealand, that Arie was a vulnerable and insightful member of our society.

Dave Cliff, can't think on his feet, when the country recognises a complaint is remedied the country doesn't need to be told that only an expert, (one that couldn't be found for 6 months,) could confirm what we all saw in this young man. Dave Cliff needed to remember what the ingredients of a crime are, intention being foremost, that a crime is committed and a victim recognised following that. But really Dave got the short stick, because those above him continue not to recognise that what resonates with the public is common sense and truth. If a bloke is limping he is limping, no one needs to be told that it couldn't be confirmed that he was limping for a particular reason until an expert assessed him because he might be limping for a reason that proved he wasn't limping at all. That it was an act.

Well, it has been quite an act, all explanations put aside an end is reached thanks to the Police withdrawing the charges against Arie and his partner Michael Davis. A shaking of hands has taken place, the ground has shifted, a country is empowered by that. The time for blame has passed. Arie said that his brain was wired differently and a whole country finally listened. Congratulations Arie and Michael, and the Police for stepping forward.