Vicious Sex Attack on Child At NZ Campsite

(For an update to this story read Belgian Girl’s Rapist Has “Gang Connections” – “Killah”)


We’re shocked to hear that yet another tourist has been seriously assaulted in a campervan in New Zealand.

What makes this particular crime all the more disgusting is that this time it was a five year old Belgian tourist that was severely beaten and subjected to a vicious sexual attack after being bashed unconscious. A heinous and contemptible crime perpetrated against a defenseless child.

One of the police officers working on the case said it was the worst he’d seen

“It is the worst attack I have seen in my 28 years of police service.
“It was a vicious attack on a defenceless five-year-old girl. You don’t get too many offences which are too much worse than this.”

Our thoughts are with the girl’s family, who are said to be on dream holiday of a lifetime from Europe, and we wish her a full and speedy recovery from her ordeal.

The British press is bound to draw comparisons to the abduction of 3 year old Madeleine McCann, whose parents left her sleeping in a holiday resort in Portugal.

The family arrived at Club Habitat on Ohuanga Road, Turangi yesterday (street view below) and the assault took place last night between 10.10 and 10.40 whilst the child’s parents were just metres away in an amenity block. The girl and her three year old brother were left alone and sleeping in the van at the time.

Police are not releasing details of the family or their country of origin but they did tell reporters that there had been a burglary at the camp the previous night.


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Unfortunately, even though New Zealand strives to maintain has a safe image abroad there have been a significant number of assaults, rapes  and robberies of campervan tourists in the last few years. Sadly it was just a matter of time until a child was attacked.


Crime against foreign nationals in New Zealand is something that we write about regularly, take a look at our blogs tagged campervan to see numerous other incidents. Sadly it seems that the message still isn’t getting out about New Zealand and its high crime rates and violence against tourists.

High Rates of Child Abuse Deaths

Many tourists fail to realise that far from being safe for children, New Zealand is ranked joint third in the world by UNICEF for the highest number of  child maltreatment deaths (1.2 per 100,000 children) only the US and Mexico have more  See our Facts and stats pages (above) for more information.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued the following advice for travellers to New Zealand. Perhaps it is time for them to be more specific about the types of violent crime and follow the lead of the Dutch government after a honeymooning couples were raped at a campsites in Tuatapere and Haruru Falls, so that people may be better informed.

Safety and Security – Crime

Street crimes occur in major urban areas. Reports of thefts from unattended vehicles, especially hire cars/camper vans in major tourist areas (e.g. the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua and Queenstown) have increased. There has also been an increase in the number of thefts from hotel rooms in some tourist areas. Do not leave possessions in unattended vehicles even if out of sight in a locked boot. Do not leave valuables in hotel rooms, but use safe boxes when available. Keep passports, travellers’ cheques, credit cards, etc separate. See our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

A NZ police media statement gave the following information about the Club Habitat assault

Child seriously assaulted at holiday park
Thursday, 22 December 2011, 1:19 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Police
Child seriously assaulted at holiday park
A five-year-old girl is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being attacked last night at a holiday park in Turangi.
The girl is currently touring New Zealand with her parents and brother in a hired ute and caravan. Yesterday afternoon they arrived in Turangi and booked into Club Habitat on Ohuanga Road, Turangi.
Last night the girl’s father was in the amenity block just metres away from the caravan. At approximately 10.10pm the mother also walked across to the amenity block leaving the two children asleep inside the caravan.
When she returned at approximately 10.40pm she found the caravan door locked and through the window saw a man inside.
She ran to get her husband and when they returned the caravan door was open, the man was gone and their daughter was lying seriously injured in her bed.
She has serious injuries mainly to her head and face and has undergone surgery at Waikato Hospital.
An investigation is underway, headed by Detective Inspector Mark Loper. ESR are in Turangi carrying out a full scene examination. Officers from Waikato are currently assisting with interviews with the parents.
Detective Inspector Mark Loper said: “This is a vicious attack, and the fact that it is on a five-year-old tourist just days before Christmas makes it all the more appalling. It is vital that anyone who has the smallest piece of information that might help this investigation comes forward as soon as possible.”
The family are visiting from Europe. Police will not be more specific at this stage as the family need some time to notify relatives back home before any further detail is released.

Other Recent Turangi Crime Stories

Hunter who killed camping teacher to get early release – man hunting illegally at night, shot schoolteacher in head at campsite. He is released after serving just 11 months in prison.
Police seek thugs – elderly man beaten by burglars a few weeks ago
Man accused of attacking Turangi policeman in court -Motorist punched police officer unconscious in an assault on SH 1
Smuggler jail guard ‘felt sorry’ for inmate – prison warder smuggled drugs in to Tongariro-Rangipo Prison prison

Other Tourist Attacks in New Zealand


Chilean Tourist Robbed, Loses Life’s Work
Te Anau Troubled By Tourist Attacks
Honeymoon Couple Lose Precious Photos, No ‘Gold Medal’
Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

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
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
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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Open Season On Freedom Campers Well Underway In New Zealand

Well it’s been a glorious start to New Zealand’s first open season for hunters of Freedom Campers.

Last February the president of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association, Dick Waters  issued a second call for freedom campers to be “shot” if they use vans that don’t have their own toilet facilities.

Mr Waters, was reported as having said  that

“Messy freedom campers who trundle around the country in sleeper vans without toilets or self-contained utilities should be “shot”.

It followed similar comments he made in January.

At the time we said effectively declaring open season on certain types of campers wasn’t going to do much to enhance the country’s tarnished reputation for visitor safety. Read Freedom Campers “Should be Shot,” 15 February 2010.

Even if Mr Waters’ comments were meant to shock, rather than be taken literally, it may cause certain elements of NZ society to feel less than ‘gracious’ towards visitors, who may now be viewed as little more than vermin. Rednecks with guns on a mission aren’t a good combination, in any country.
How right we were, because it would seem that someone may have taken up Mr Waters on his invitation to have a crack at campers.

A couple camping in Tamatea Point in Pakawau we lucky to escape with their lives after someone ” shot at, smashed and attempted to set fire to their campervan” at 5.50 one morning,  presumably they were sleeping in it at the time.

The holidaymakers, a “44-year-old male New Zealander and a 36-year-old New Zealand-residing Chinese woman,” from Hamilton

“had earlier been verbally abused about freedom camping in the area and police say the attack may have been an “extreme, over-the-top reaction” to the practice.” Source NZ Herald

Apparently a man has been arrested in relation to the incident, charged with attempted murder and given name suppression. The Herald said that he has a holiday property on the reserve on which the campervan has been parked.

Stuff provided more in-depth coverage than the Herald, with the following information

The Tasman District Council reserve is a popular site for public beach access and there are no signs banning freedom camping.
Golden Bay residents are growing increasingly intolerant of issues posed by freedom campers which include littering and defecating in public places.
The intolerance came to a head last month when the Golden Bay Community Board made an urgent request to the Tasman District Council to have a compliance officer based in the bay to monitor problems. A council officer is monitoring the bay during January and February.
In April last year, freedom campers were forced off land near the Waitapu Bridge spot by angry Golden Bay local…more here

The have been plenty of other incidents recently where tourists have been attacked and robbed whilst using campervans but this is the first we’ve heard of where an attempt has been made to burn them out. Read Welsh Couple Left Without a Penny in New Plymouth 7 January 2011

Months from now thousands of world cup rugby fans will be descending on New Zealand, eager to hire out campervans and totally unaware of the risks they are taking by not using authorised campsites.
Neither are they aware that they will be targeted by thieves if they leave their vehicles in public car parks or on the roadside.  It would be a bit rough to loose those prized match tickets in addition to cameras, iPods, treasure holiday snaps and passports and credit cards.

We think mass public information campaigns are needed, and fast.

One to warn tourists about the dangers and how to keep themselves safe and another to encourage locals in New Zealand to have a more relaxed and accommodating attitude towards visitors.

Hug a camper today.


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Welsh Couple Left Without A Penny In New Plymouth

It must be summer in New Zealand because a couple of Welsh holidaymakers are the latest tourists to appear in another New Zealand camper-van robbery story; there have been so many of them over the years.

“Michael Wright and Amy Murphy‘s latest bit of misfortune struck when thieves broke into their van at New Plymouth’s Back Beach while they were out surfing.
Passports, bank cards, ipods, drivers licences, cameras and cash were stolen. “It was just a complete shock,” Miss Murphy said yesterday. “Now we haven’t got a penny to our names.”
The Cardiff pair found their van ransacked after they had spent an hour and a half in the late afternoon surf. “Everything was all over the place. They had been in everywhere and all through our backpacks,” Miss Murphy said.
She was surprised nobody had spotted the thieves…” source

The previous similar story we commented on was the two US soldiers Eli and Tonia Gerhard that were robbed in Kaikoura last week. The young couple were taking a well earned break from the conflict and crime of Afghanistan. They must have thought that New Zealand would have been the last place on earth where they would have been robbed blind.

A few weeks before that British couple Jake Graham and Jess Kelly were also robbed in New Plymouth when their campervan was broken into and they lost almost everything they owned. Read more here


But there have been so many of these types of robberies in New Zealand haven’t there,  you’d think that word would have got out by now?

Perhaps not.

Always  it’s the same type of belongings that are stolen (cameras, money, passports, ipods, computers) tourists are obviously rich pickings in New Zealand, a country of vast inequalities and a grinding poverty in some sectors of the community that could go unnoticed by the casual observer,  or be passed over for being “quaint.”

Tourist authorities really should be asking themselves are they doing enough to warn visitors not to leave their belongings in unattended vehicles. The problem is that there is such a widespread misconception that New Zealand is a safe, tourist friendly safe place to holiday that some people are unwittingly  leaving themselves open to theft, sometimes accompanied by assault and battery. As in the case of the French tourists who pulled-over to sleep one evening.  Read more here.

Would it take a lot to fit hidden safes or security boxes in these vehicles? or for tourists to have access to short term safety deposit boxes, rather like mailboxes at post offices? A few more signs in car parks warning about thieves would probably be a good idea too.

Other stories you may be interested in:-


Suffolk couple put emigration plans on hold after experiencing NZ’s crime:

“Today’s Herald is reporting on British couple Dean and Tabitha Forbes who lost most of their possessions whilst on a pre-emigration trip to Auckland, New Zealand…”

British Migrants Robbed:

“”An English family who came to New Zealand to make a fresh start were left with only the clothes on their backs when their motel was burgled two days after they arrived.
Dawn and Conrad Tutin and their children Stephanie, 14, and Kiel, 12, arrived from Nottingham a week ago to begin a new life in Auckland, where Mr Tutin will work for Fisher & Paykel…””

More British tourists robbed, no gold for New Plymouth:

“Earlier today we wrote about honeymooning couple Simon and Sabine Greenslade whose campervan was robbed of outside of Auckland Zoo, losing most of their holiday and honeymooning photographs amongst other possessions.
We’ve also heard about another young British couple, Jake Graham and Jess Kelly,whose campervan was also broken into and who lost almost everything they owned in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon…”

Honeymoon couple lose precious photos, no ‘gold medal’ in Auckland

US rowing team member  robbed, world rowing championships 2010 in Queenstown

Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

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
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
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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No Gold For NZ Honeymoon Couple

A  couple honeymooning in Auckland didn’t have the same Gold Medal rapid response that an American rowing team member got just three days later, when they too were burgled hours before leaving New Zealand.

British newlyweds Simon and Sabine Greenslade were married in August in Germany and had been honeymooning in New Zealand. At the end of their holiday they parked outside of Auckland Zoo and it was there that their campervan was ransacked on 6 November, the last day of their honeymoon – according to a report in the NZ Herald.

During the robbery the couple lost a laptop and iPod with their wedding photos, shots of their NZ holiday and months of Mr Greenslade’s programing work were taken from their van.

Coincidentally the unnamed American sportsman also lost a laptop and iPod in his burglary.

Unfortunately there was no gold medal for this couple, they got a clunker. The Herald said:

An appeal to police in the aftermath of the theft didn’t produce any results, says Ms Greenslade.
“They simply gave us a crime reference number and left it at that.”

The young couple had to get back to the UK with the help of the motorhome company, who replaced some of their missing belongings.

The news of this robbery has filtered out in the hope that the couple may retrieve some of their lost photos, which are obviously irreplaceable.

We wish them good luck with that, although their chances are pretty slim ten days after the event, ‘miracles’ have been known to happen.

Wouldn’t it be splendid if all tourists who experienced loss or crime in New Zealand got a gold medal response. Not just those who have a high profile internationally.

Also read:
US Rowing Team Member Robbed, World Rowing Championships 2010: 9 November 2o10

“The United States rowing team has just had an unpleasant brush with New Zealand’s spiralling crime problem.
On Saturday a member of the team had a number of personal items stolen after the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro.
A Police press released managed to turn what could’ve been a PR clunker into a  ‘gold medal’ news story for the police (and New Zealand) when they apprehended the young burglars responsible and returned the stolen goods to the rower just minutes before he left the country:
“After speaking to management at the teams’ hotel, police tracked the stolen iPod, laptop and other belongings to three brothers aged 14, 15 and 17, who admitted the theft.
More stolen property was also found at an Otorohanga property, 58km southwest of Hamilton in the King Country.
Police contacted a man in Otorohanga who admitted receiving the laptop and “it was explained the significance of the theft and the damage to this country’s reputation and he agreed to bring it into the Hamilton Police Station.
“From there an aunty of the offenders helped Police recover the victim’s camera, the US team left Hamilton yesterday about 6pm for an 11pm flight and we needed to get all the property recovered, documented and back to the victim. Time was against us and there’d be no ‘B’ final if we didn’t make it.”” Smith (Ed. Sergeant Dale Smith of the Hamilton Proactive Policing Team) said.” Read more here – police win race to return rower’s stolen property

We particularly liked the section that said
“It would be fair to say that while the rest of the country is celebrating the achievements of our teams on the water the team in blue delivered a gold medal performance as well in terms of New Zealand’s reputation of a safe, friendly place to visit.”
Well done to the police for working with the community and relatives of the thieves to bring about a successful conclusion to this sorry event. But, if New Zealand was that safe the rower’s hotel room wouldn’t have been burgled in the first place, would it and he would have left the country with only fond memories? If only other tourists could’ve been so lucky!”

Other stories you may find interesting
Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

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
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
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.

Today's posts - click here

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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