Christchurch, Dec 3 NZPA - Police allege a man did $400,000 in damage with ram raids on Christchurch parking meters that got him $20,000 cash.

Alan William Hayward, a 32-year-old labourer, appeared in Christchurch District Court on Monday, and was back in court on three more charges this morning when he was granted bail by Judge Stephen Coyle in spite of police opposition.

Police then forestalled his release by laying 30 more charges and brought Hayward back to court in the afternoon.

They have charged him with unlawfully taking nine cars, all hefty four-wheel-drive Nissan Terranos.

After each vehicle was taken, the charges allege Hayward intentionally damaged 38 parking meters in a series of raids since mid-September and stole Christchurch City Council's cash from inside the machines.

The charges suggest that by knocking over three or four parking meters at a time, he was obtaining well over $1000 cash. On some of the raids he got less, or sometimes nothing.

Judge Coyle reconsidered the granting of bail once all the charges had been laid, saying that put a different perspective on the case.

He said police alleged $400,000 damage had been done to the parking meters and $20,000 cash had been stolen from the machines.

He revoked the bail and remanded Hayward in custody to December 23.

Hayward's partner was in court and was in tears as he was taken away to the cells.