"What Are You Doing In OUR Town?"

A group of visitors to Kawakawa’s iconic Hundertwasser toilets got rather more than a ‘traditional Kiwi welcome’ as they visited the facility late Tuesday afternoon. A couple of (local?) thugs decided to beat and rob them.

The assault was covered by the Northern Advocate, which said that the group was on a scavenger hunt, for which one of the tasks was to be photographed outside of the ‘world famous’ public convenience.
As the photo was being snapped a man and woman approached the group of Auckland university students and began to harangue them.

One of the local police officers told the press:

“Both asked the group, “What are you doing in our town?”, before the man held one of the male victims up by his T-shirt and punched him in the head.
Meanwhile, the woman took the camera from one of the female students and pushed another to the ground, where she kicked her several times. She then turned her attention to the last female in the group and punched her twice in the head.
The male offender then tried to punch the second male student, which was followed by a scuffle on the ground, Mr Raitt said…
One was described as a male Maori, about 18 to 20-years-old, skinny and with short black hair. The other was a 16 to 18-year-old female Maori, also described as skinny, with long black hair tied up in a pony tail…” more here

Police are appealing to the public for help in catching the two thugs.

We note that the identities and nationalities of the victims has not been released to the press, from this we infer that they were probably international students and the local authorities may be keen to minimise any global interest the muggings may attract.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that innocent tourists have been attacked and robbed whilst visiting Northland, as any reader of this blog will know. Other posts about crime in the ‘lawless north’ may be found here.

You may recall that in May three young French tourists were beaten and robbed as they camped on the roadside in near Mangamuka, east of Kaitaia, by two men posing as police officers.

We hear that little progress has been made in apprehending those responsible and the trail seems to have gone cold since the victims returned to France. Is the message getting out that international visitors are a soft target in Northland?

At the time of the Mangamuka assaults we said that Northland seemed to be a particularly risky place for visitors, with many of the aggravated robberies on tourists  overly violent and aggressive. See French tourists thought they were going to die.

See also:

“The Land Of Misadventure” – …”Northland has a high level of unemployment, a lot of low- income people and there are criminal groups targeting tourists at popular spots. Locals get robbed as well, but the tourists offer richer pickings for the criminals.
Though locals may lose their shoes, cellphone and the small sum of cash in their pockets, tourists were known to carry a lot more money, have expensive cameras and sometimes iPods and laptops. The latest attack and robbery of the three Frenchmen was typical…” Dom Post

Related posts “Tourist Beaters Up Un-Maori” and “French Tourists Back in Northland to Help Catch Attackers“

A good reason perhaps to give the region a wide berth until its crime problem is sorted out once and for all?

Also in the news today – Unemployed Kaitaia teenager Jameel Job, 17 is to be sentenced today for the brutal murder of semi-retired school teacher Barbara Julian, whom he bashed to death during a home invasion in Kaitaia, Northland, in November 2009.

News reports at the time stated that the 70 year old grandmother had told her niece she was thinking about leaving town because people in the street were frightening her. See also: “It could have happened at any house” 

f you’re planning to take a holiday, or migrate to New Zealand be sure to find out about the risks before you leave. If you are British you may wish to read the travel advisory issued about New Zealand by the Foreign and Commonwealth office here.

Some other recent tourist attacks and robberies in Northland include:
A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia

Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei
Two German tourists attacked in Paihia
Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland

Asian woman, (probably Japanese) age 22, raped in her room by 2 teenagers in a home invasion in Opotiki

Three Chinese tourists attacked and robbed at Te paki, 90 Mile Beach, Northland
French tourist Anthony Cressend, beaten and robbed at campsite in Ahipara
French tourist (male) raped at gunpoint near Opotiki,

American campers Patrick Dykstra and Kelsey McGinley beaten and robbed at Whangarei Falls

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Three French Tourists Beaten Up In Northland Campervan Robbery

Attacks on tourists continue in New Zealand with the savage beating of three french tourists in Mangamuka, Northland
.
The Dominion Post covered the story, saying:

“Three French tourists, attacked despite handing cash to robbers in Northland, feared for their lives, police say.
Two were taken to hospital with facial injuries after being attacked in their campervan, in a rest area south of Mangamuka, east of Kaitaia.
Detective Eddie Evans said the three awoke early yesterday to a man demanding money. The tourists, all in their 20s, handed cash through a window. Another man appeared and the pair broke into the van, attacking the trio and taking more property, Mr Evans said.
“The [tourists] met their demands and these guys have still proceeded to break into the campervan. They were freaked out … they feared for their lives.” The two men, described as Maori, left in an “old” car, that was possibly dark red or brown in colour.
In August three Chinese tourists were robbed at knifepoint in the Far North by two men they stopped to help. In October 2008 four Irish tourists had their van stolen at gunpoint in Dargaville. In 2006 a Dutch couple honeymooning in the Bay of Islands in a campervan were robbed at gunpoint and the woman raped. “

We’ve often called for tourists, especially those using campervans, to be given more information about the dangers of crime in New Zealand and advice about areas to steer clear of. Sadly, it seems that the message still isn’t getting out.

If you’re planning to take a holiday in New Zealand be sure to find out about the risks before you leave. If you are British you may wish to read the travel advisory issued about New Zealand by the Foreign and Commonwealth office here.

Low crime rate a ‘myth‘
Kevin Hicks, Chair of Neighbourhood Support Auckland City was once quoted as having said:

“…the popular notion that we have a low rate of crime Is yet another myth that has been perpetuated over the years.
Another myth is that we are a punitive society. Quite the reverse is true – we are actually a very lenient society with the chance of imprisonment falling from one chance in 30 in before the 1950s, to less than one chance in 200 by the 1980s. “It is very disappointing to see the debate still based on urban legends ideologically driven “research” when the statistics that are easily found on the government website say the exact opposite”. “Over those same years when prosecutions and imprisonment was falling, crime was exponentially rising” he says.
Crime is now
· impacting nearly quarter of a million kiwis per annum (ed. the pop. is only 4 million)
· damaging our reputation worldwide
· causing governments to issue tourism warnings due to our high crime rate
· spawned several websites now actively discouraging migration and tourism to NZ
· Costing the country over $12 billion per annum
· Hurting the most vulnerable people
Kevin says it is time to be honest and admit there is a problem and actually formulate some long term plans to deal with it. “

We agree with him and we will continue to highlight how crime impacts migrants and visitors to New Zealand until things improve.

In August of last year we wrote “Attack on three Chinese tourists – Reputation comments commence“:

“Labour’s tourism spokesman Kelvin Davis has been swift in issuing a strong rebuke as part of a damage limitation exercise following the knife point robbery and assault of three Chinese tourists in Northland. At least we’re not seeing the usual ‘isolated incident’ comment trotted out, so some credit to him for that.
Time to get tough on the causes of crime. Want to send out a really strong message to the community? catch those responsible and impose stiff sentences. In the meantime launch a honest campaign to warn visitors about the risks present in NZ so that they’re not sitting ducks – savvy consumers are nothing to be afraid of. A false image makes visitors vulnerable, use incidents like these to highlight the dangers and tell people they need to be as street-wise in NZ as in any other Western country with a high crime rate...”

For more see our Crime Stats and Facts page

Other tourist attacks and robberies include:

A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia, Northland

Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei, Northland

Two German tourists attacked in Paihia, Northland

Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland whilst sandboarding

Asian woman, (probably Japanese) age 22, raped in her room by 2 teenagers in a home invasion in Opotiki, Northland


Three Chinese tourists attacked and robbed at Te paki, 90 Mile Beach, Northland, by two men they’d stopped to help

French tourist Anthony Cressend, beaten and robbed at campsite in Ahipara, Northland

Two Australian tourists robbed at knifepoint for their holiday money in Te Puke, SE of Tauranga.

Japanese tourist age 23 (female) kidnapped, robbed and assaulted in Rotorua by four men

French tourist (male) raped at gunpoint near Opotiki

American peace corp twins Adam and Alex Rahmlow, 21 were robbed of all their possessions by a man they tried to help in Amberley, Christchurch.

Dutch couple raped and robbed on a campsite in Tuatapere, NW of Invercargill, whilst on their honeymoon. (Dutch govt. issued a travel warning about NZ)

Two Koreans were attacked and robbed of their possession which included a laptop computer by a man claiming to be a gang member in Blenheim.

British tourist worker sexually assaulted near Hururu Falls, Northland when she was dragged off a walking track.

Canadian tourist Jeremie Kawerninski, kidnapped, assaulted and robbed in Lower Hutt, Wellington.

Dutch couple robbed and sexually attacked Haruru Falls, Northland whilst on honeymoon.

Two British women robbed and raped in their campervan at Tokomaru Bay, north of Gisborne.

Japanese tourist subjected to a prolonged and brutal sex attack in a communal area of a backpacker’s hostel in Turangi, Taupo.

Scottish woman Karen Aim brutally murdered by a youth in Taupo.

German woman Birgit Brauer murdered near New Plymouth.

Korean man Jae Hyeon Kim decapitated with a spade by white supremacist.

Japanese tourist robbed at gunpoint in Oamaru.

Irish cycle tourist Paul Mack bashed, robbed and urinated on throughout his NZ tour.

6 English and Danish tourists attacked and stabbed in Cashel Mall, Christchurch for having “foreign accents.”

Irish man Robby O’Brien beaten up in Westport.

Russian couple Denis Khotchenko and Lera Nesterova beaten and robbed in Milford, Auckland.

English woman knifed and sexually assaulted in a toilet block at an A1 motor camp in Kaikoura.

American campers Patrick Dykstra and Kelsey McGinley beaten and robbed at Whangarei Falls, Northland.

Australian tourist sexually assaulted on a street in broad daylight in Nelson.

Australian tourist subjected to a sex attack by Maia Crawford Rongonui whilst walking home to a backpackers in Christchurch.

Canadian tourist left with a fractured skull outside Silver Fern backpackers in Taupo.

Dutch tourist beaten and robbed at Lake Rotorua.

British man Paul Speakman and his young son beaten and robbed in a campervan at Athenree Gorge, Katikati.

Chinese woman attacked for speaking Chinese on a train approaching Petone.

Scottish visitor Stuart Martin who was left in a coma and with a boot print on his face after a street bashing in Taradale, Christchurch.

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Kaitaia’s Kids’ Drunken Night Of Rampage. Mob Rule

Gisborne

 Welcome to Kaitaia

Residents of the small Northland town of Kaitaia suffered $10,000 in damages after a ‘group’ of  10 tanked up kids rampaged through the town for three and a hlaf hours on Monday night last week.

Three and a half hours, where were the police all that time?

The Northern Advocate said:

“It is alleged the group involved in last week’s incident comprised 10 youths led by  a 16-year-old girl and included others aged 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Police have identified eight of the 10 suspected. Five are to appear in the Kaitaia Youth Court next month charged with burglary, receiving and shoplifting. Three others have been referred to the police Youth Aid section for their involvement.  Police are working to identify the other two.
Business owner Jack Rogers, of Rogers  & Rogers plumbing, said the alcohol-fuelled incident had left him with a $2600 repair bill for the window and another $1000 damage to items in the shop…
…Kaitaia police Detective Sergeant Trevor Beatson said the drama began about 7pm last Monday when the group targeted licensed premises. They allegedly drank the stolen alcohol and returned to the main street about 10.30pm and continued their trail of destruction until 2am the following day.
At one hotel they stole the entire “top shelf” and cleared out about 40 bottles of spirits, police said. They also made off with nearly 90 bottles of beer and 80 bottles of mixers.
“Where were the parents of these young people, and what were they thinking letting their  girls into town after 10pm on a Monday night?” Mr Beatson said.”

Good question, but where were the police?

“There is a lot of concern in our community about this type of offending. The businesses who were targeted have expressed their outrage to police, at the clear lack of parental control and ability of parents to look after their children.”
Mr Beatson said the community was angry about the damage and their stolen property, but were mostly angry at parents who failed to control their children…”

The real problem is that the adults are incapable of controlling themselves.

Kaitaia has already got a terrible reputation as a place not be once the sun starts to set.
It was a group of adults that hurled racist abuse and bottles at a family of Swiss tourists taking a short stroll into town on evening.  The editor of the Northland Age said it was time the streets were cleaned up:

“This is not the first time that something approaching mob rule has been experienced in Kaitaia. Some years ago an English visitor, a tank commander no less, abandoned a walk through the town’s streets on a summer’s evening after encountering numbers of young people whose demeanour was so threatening as to raise questions, in his mind at least, regarding his safety.

It is time the streets were cleaned up. “

Some of the locals live in fear and have been forced to leave the town. A  reader contacted the Northern Age to say she had been the subject of racial abuse from teenagers in Matthews Road whilst driving her two young grandchildren along the road. A gang of youths had battered her car and hurled insults. She reported the incident to the police but had heard nothing back:

“The woman added that she had thought Kaitaia was a “pretty threatening place” when she arrived in the town 13 years ago, but had now reached the point where she was encouraging her daughter and son-in-law to take their family and leave.“I’m not doing that just because of this incident, but because I don’t think this is going to be a good place to live,” she said.
The change that she believed had taken place over the last 13 years, she added, was that the racist attitudes that had probably always existed were now being openly displayed.”

In November a 70 year old grandmother was beaten to death in her Kaitaia home by an intruder. Before her death Barbara Julian had told her niece that she was thinking about leaving town because people in the street had been frightening her.
The sad truth is that Kaitaia suffers from the same problems that afflict many New Zealand’s socially and economically deprived communities, there are ‘Kaitaias’ all over New Zealand.
Take for example Gisborne, another small town on the mid-east coast of the North Island.  You may wish to read our post from 14 April 2010 “Armed Robbery and Drugs, 80% or more smoke weed in Gisborne” and read some of the comments readers made to the Gisborne Herald about their town’s drug problem:

Marijuana and the lost generation
“I am writing with regard to the recent drug bust in Gisborne. I know that probably 80 percent (or more)of the town smoke weed, or think there is nothing wrong with it.
However, you just have to look around to see the effects of the generational abuse of marijuana and other drugs around our area.

Dilapidated homes, no one caring enough to do anything, the kids roaming around with no parents who give a damn, generations of welfare recipients, crime at all levels, car accidents, general apathy relating to just about everything.
The mental health issues, people who fly into rages and can’t handle everyday reality because of constantly being stoned. Kids at school stoned, or not at school at all.

The experience of taking my child to a public toilet where before us a school kid (in uniform) had been inside getting stoned.
Going to town with my young children and walking past carloads of people parked up smoking weed.

The young mother all of 17-years-old in a store so stoned she could barely speak with her passed out baby in her arms . . . no doubt they had just been ‘toking’ in the car, too!

I don’t personally know the people involved in the recent drugs bust no, but I expect they had children who would have been exposed to it. Their drugs would be sold to people who are already dependent, or maybe young people just starting out. Home detention is a joke. Drug dealing is not OK, no matter how many times people try to justify it!

It’s about time people stood up and realised it, although I do know that in Gizzy it is a big call. I know that we have other “evils” such as alcohol and tobacco, too, but I personally think that marijuana is one of our biggest problems by far, especially on the coast.“

another reader added:

“Drug problem being handed down
Well spoken “Angry” regarding marijuana and the lost generation, The Gisborne Herald, March 24.
Most people have absolutely no idea just how much drugs in all forms are affecting a large percentage of our people right here in Gisborne.
If you know what to look for (most don’t) you will certainly see affected people all over the place, in the city, in supermarkets and at gas stations etc. As stated by “Angry” carloads sitting around smoking cannabis and “P” in public.
The saddest thing about this is that this behaviour is being handed down to children big-time.
If a couple have this problem then their four to six children will also and so to their children which collectively add up to about 24 persons and this has been going on for generations.
The money that is able to be made from drugs supports a large number of people in many ways right here in Gisborne.
The people I am talking about number in the hundreds and are so deep in the lifestyle that it is too late for them.
Far too much cheek-turning is going on and if this social tolerance continues, well who knows where it will end up?
But have a look at the lifestyles of the people who live in the ‘Bronx’ because that’s where it’s heading for sure.
Drugs, then large unemployment because of drug habits, followed by violence, along with all forms of abuse and family crises.
That’s where it’s headed.”

But that is just two towns out of the whole of the country! you say, you can’t judge a whole country by that.

But there are too many other places with the same problem for the pattern to ignored.

Places like Huntly, dogged by rampant crime. The small towns of Hawke’s Bay – Napier, Flaxmere and Hastings where in the latter a gang of kids smashed their way through the CBD at 4am. Small villages like Mapua where a brawl over the Easter weekend involving 30 people in the early hours of the morning prompted residents to call for a greater police presence.

There are no signs of it abating either, the once cohesive small communities that used to be the backbone of  New Zealand are rapidly falling apart, crime and disorder are out of control, drug and alcohol abuse are rife and the country lacks the resources to stop it.

Read also links sent by a reader:
Murupara - NZ's wild frontier towns populated with gangsters and bored hoodlums loitering on the streets.

Parents act over school plagued by violence -  Parents have been forced to take their children's education into their own hands at Rangitahi College, Murupara. The school is plagued by drug use, violence and the abuse of teachers and students.

Teachers face rise in class violence (2003) - Education Ministry figures  showed 395 stand-downs last year (2002) for attacks on teachers..."teenagers are more prepared to stand up for their rights these days."

Hundreds of teachers assaulted in NZ schools (2010) - 777 teachers were assaulted at work during 2008/9. 442 of them required ACC funded treatment for their injuries. This included a teacher who was stabbed in the back by a pupil during a lesson but doesn't include Lois Dear who was battered to death in her classroom.

"Some teachers were too scared to do lunchtime duty alone and had resorted to supervising in pairs."
 

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Swiss Tourists Assaulted And Racially Abused In Kaitaia

 Welcome to Kaitaia

We've heard that a family of Swiss Tourists were attacked in Kaitaia, Northland in January, as far as we know the story never made it to the national press but it was reported by The Northland Age.

Local moteliers Dave and Jay Galbraith have spoken publicly a number of times about the disorderly anti-social behaviour that regularly takes place on  Kaitaia's North Road and they were stunned at the way the tourists were treated. Sadly it is yet another story about tourists not being forewarned about the possible dangers they face. According to The Northland Age:

"A Swiss couple and their daughter arrived, intending to stay for four nights, but left after one, complaining that their hosts should have warned them that the town's streets were too dangerous to walk - at seven o'clock on a summer's evening.

The family left the motel on their first evening in Kaitaia to walk into town, looking for a meal.

They had only travelled a hundred metres or so, however, when they were subjected to what Jay described as racist abuse from a group of young people, male and female, who were drinking on the other side of the road.

They quickened their pace but were struck by a flying bottle and other missiles. Fearing for their safety, they sought refuge at the Beachcomber Restaurant.

Clearly upset, they but did not stay for a meal, the proprietor driving them back to the motel.

They spent the night in their unit, doors and windows locked, and checked out next morning.

Jay said she and Dave had tried to undo some of the damage, but all the visitors wanted to do after that experience was leave.

"I wonder if these yoyos realise the damage they do to Kaitaia employment and tourism..."

"Yoyos" that's putting it a bit lightly, and what of the damage done to people to people and property? What about pro-active policing?
 
This and other incidents have been serious enough for the editor of the paper to write a lengthy article on the problems in Kaitaia, condemning mob rule in the township.  He says it's time the streets were "cleaned up":

"This is not the first time that something approaching mob rule has been experienced in Kaitaia. Some years ago an English visitor, a tank commander no less, abandoned a walk through the town's streets on a summer's evening after encountering numbers of young people whose demeanour was so threatening as to raise questions, in his mind at least, regarding his safety.

It is time the streets were cleaned up. "

In another report a reader contacted the paper to say she had been the subject of racial abuse from teenagers in Matthews Road whilst driving her two young grandchildren along the road. A gang of youths had battered her car and hurled insults. She reported the incident to the police but had heard nothing back:

"The woman added that she had thought Kaitaia was a "pretty threatening place" when she arrived in the town 13 years ago, but had now reached the point where she was encouraging her daughter and son-in-law to take their family and leave.

"I'm not doing that just because of this incident, but because I don't think this is going to be a good place to live," she said.

The change that she believed had taken place over the last 13 years, she added, was that the racist attitudes that had probably always existed were now being openly displayed."

Perhaps her family are well advised to leave. In November elderly retired teacher and grandmother  Barbara Catherine Julian was battered to death in her Kaitaia home by an intruder, she'd earlier told her niece she'd been thinking about leaving the town because people in the area were frightening her. A 17 year old youth has been charged with her murder.



For other posts about crime and tourist attacks in Northland, including an attack on Chinese tourists at 90 mile beach that was linked back to residents of Kaitaia, click HERE


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Another Elderly Person Attacked In Their Own Home

Another elderly person has been viciously assaulted in their own home. The Herald has published:

"Police are hunting for a young woman after an elderly Auckland man was attacked with a knife in a home invasion in the early hours of last Friday morning.The 69-year-old victim suffered cuts to his upper body and hand in his Orakei home. Police would like to speak to Ana Paraha, who is a relative of the victim. She is a 21-year-old Maori woman, 165cm tall and of thin build."

You can fairly judge the character of society by how it treats the weak, the vulnerable, the most easily forgotten. Abuse of the young and the old is widespread in NZ, recent attacks on elderly people include:

• A 72 year old man left shaken and bruised after being robbed at gunpoint at his home in Beerescourt Rd Road, Hamilton

• An 82 year old woman kidnapped and robbed whilst shopping on W.Tamaki Road, Auckland
  

• Grandmother Barabara Julian, battered to death by an intruder in her Kaitaia home 

• Lois Dear, 66, murdered and sexually assulted in her classroom at Tokoroa primary school

• An elderly woman was physically and sexually assulted in her Eltham home
  

• Retired teacher John Rowe, murdered by two teenage girls in his Opotiki home
  

• An 83 year old woman who was assaulted and her home set fire to in Howick

• An elderly couple who were hopsitalized after a home invasion in New Plymouth

• An elderly man kicked to the ground and assaulted by a truck driver in Manukau

• An 85 year old man badly beaten during a home invasion at his Bethesda Village retirement home in Wiri.

• 86 year old Patricia Burrows was left with a fractured pelvis, cuts and bruises after she was mugged in a Christchurch shopping mall

• Yin Ping Yang, 80, died following a savage attack during a home invasion in Manurewa East that lasted for several hours.
  

• A 99 year old woman who was sexually assaulted in her Palmerston North home and died in hospital
  

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Grandmother Barbara Catherine Julian Beaten To Death In Kaitaia, Northland - Updated

A 70 year old woman has been found dead in her own home. Neighbours discovered the woman at 91 Matthews Avenue, Kaitaia, Northland at around 5.30pm on 10 November.  Police have said that a man had been seen walking away from the house earlier in the day and a resident of the street had made a call after seeing a suspicious person at the property. It is not known if the call was followed up on.

The woman was later named as Barbara Catherine Julian. Later news reports stated that the 70 year old grandmother had told her niece she was thinking about leaving town because people in the street were frightening her, she said:

"Her aunt had been a gifted and enthusiastic teacher, a lively, intelligent, caring woman with a wide circle of friends - although her peace of mind had been dented in the weeks before her death.
Alone since her husband, Ted,  died five years ago, she had stayed at 91 Matthews Ave with its immaculate garden, but  had become increasingly uneasy.
"She was becoming a little frightened by the people she heard going up and down the street and she was contemplating moving to Whangarei," Ms Lunjevich said.
That would not have been a decision taken lightly."

View Larger Map

A 17 year old youth, Jameel Job,  was initially arrested on an "unrelated matter" but was subsequently charged with her murder.

See also: "It could have happened at any house"

Last Friday another elderly woman was brutally attacked at around 4pm 69 year old Keitha Brown was attacked on Cameron Road, Tauranga and robbed of $12. After spending a night in hospital with injuries that included a broken humerus bone, a swollen cheek, a black eye and a cut to her face she left and is now recovering at home with her family.


View Larger Map, St Catherine's Church, near to where the attack took place
The shocking homicide and attacks on defenseless elderly women come at a time when a survey has shown that 80% of New Zealanders are seriously worried about crime in the country but the majority of them think it doesn't happen where they live.


See also other posts tagged Crime    Murders and  Northland

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