Armed Offenders In Nawton, Hamilton

Within hours of writing about the Armed Offenders call-out in Kamo, Whangarei, this morning there was news of another armed stand-off in the town of Hamilton.

The siege has now ended but the offender escaped. Here’s what Yahoo News had to say about the incident, which may have had gang connections:

“An armed offenders squad callout in Hamilton is over after a suspected sex offender was holed up in a house in the suburb of Nawton. Police said the scene was being cleared but refused to say if the man had been apprehended or if he had fled.
The man was understood to have assaulted a woman two days ago and held her against her will. She is being treated in Waikato Hospital. Streets were cordoned off as armed police surrounded the house in Sunnyside Rd.
Police earlier believed the man, who had gang connections, may have had a firearm.”

Another report stated

Colin Kiriona, a 25-year-old Mongrel Mob member, was thought to be holed up in a Sunnyside Road property earlier this afternoon.
Members of the Armed Offenders Squad surrounded the property, using seven distraction devices, or stun grenades, before realising no one was inside the house.
A firearm was recovered at the address…
3 News understands the woman is currently in hospital for injuries sustained during the incident. She is not in critical condition, although police have said this was nearly a homicide investigation.
Police have asked members of the public to be on the lookout for Kiriona, who has a prominent tattoo of a bulldog.”

Meanwhile, staff at the Whangarei school close to this morning’s call-out have been praised for their action – read about it here

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"NZ: 100% Pure RIp Off"

Oh dear, bet the guys who coined the “100% Pure NZ” are cringing right now.

It will be interesting to see how well the brand’s image survives this latest onslaught on the slogan that lends itself so easily to abuse. It is currently being used to highlight how expensive New Zealand has become.

It all started with an article in the NZ Herald under the header “NZ: 100% Pure Rip-off. Rip off New Zealand?” written by Peter Bills, an international writer for Independent News & Media.

“Guys, just 14 months out from the 2011 Rugby World Cup, you are sleep-walking into acquiring such an unwanted reputation worldwide.
The price of ordinary, everyday articles and living costs horrify me in this country. I’ve been here, admired the place, loved the people since 1975. I wasn’t even put off by my first ever weekend in New Zealand – 17cm of rain in 24 hours and sitting shin-deep in water at Eden Park as the All Blacks aqua-planed past Scotland in that infamous 1975 test.
But what I see today is of far, far greater concern. This place is becoming one of the most expensive I visit, one giant rip-off. And most of you seem unaware of it.”

We think not, thousands of migrants struggle to make ends meet in New Zealand, many of them attracted by baiting 'NZ is cheap’ campaigns, such as that run in Singapore recently.

“What I find here amazes me. So much so that I don’t know how most ordinary folk manage to balance their budgets. True, petrol is much cheaper than in Britain. But in just about every other field, hotels, car hire, restaurant food, wine, clothes or whatever, you’re the victims of massive overcharging.
Of course, it’s always difficult to compare like with like when speaking of different countries but this is an overall impression from someone from Europe.
I sat down for a simple lunch at a restaurant on Auckland’s waterfront last week. The sun was shining, the setting fabulous. A glass of splendid New Zealand sauvignon blanc was a delight – until we saw the price. $28 for two ordinary sized glasses? You don’t pay that in Paris or London, unless you go somewhere like the George V in Paris or London’s Ivy restaurant.”

But ordinary folk don’t balance their budgets. Many are up to their ears in debt, working two jobs and sending their kids to school hungry – 230,000 children are living in unacceptable poverty in New Zealand. As for those who like to maintain lavish lifestyles? well, there’s always good old fashioned fraud and theft to fall back on. Little wonder that crime is on the rise.

“Now let’s be fair. The NZ dollar has appreciated significantly against the pound over the course of the past 12-18 months. When I last visited NZ it was $2.40 to £1. Today, it is around $2.04. But does that explain a growing number of instances where an overseas visitor felt totally ripped off?
And there is growing evidence that it is chiefly the cities of this country who are leading this “grab what you can, make a killing” attitude towards visitors. If that is indeed the case, then it is the country areas, the less populated centres, who will suffer most.
Take car hire. Am I the only visitor to New Zealand who has ever decided that it would be better to drive from Auckland to Wellington and stop for a couple of nights somewhere to see the North Island? It hardly struck me as a revolutionary idea, yet this set me up as a target for just about every major hire car firm in Auckland.
Hertz demanded an outrageous $300 drop-off fee if I wanted to leave the car in Wellington. Yet isn’t that what 90 per cent of visitors would do if they were touring, especially going on to the South Island? Companies such as Avis, Europcar and others were demanding only slightly smaller amounts. Some didn’t even have a drop facility in Wellington…

…Parking in one city centre carpark in Wellington this week was $9 an hour, $39 for four hours. In Monte Carlo, the first hour’s parking at public carparks is, er, free.
Then there are the hotels. This weekend in Wellington at the InterContinental, a king room costs $410. Now it is rugby test weekend and it has club facilities but even so. £205 a room? You might pay that in New York or London but not in most European capitals. And just imagine what on earth such a room will cost on the weekend of October 8/9 next year when Wellington hosts two of the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
The capital city costs a fortune and it’s not just an Englishman who thinks so. In the winter of 2008, in the company of several visiting South African writers, we sat down in a harbourside restaurant. When the menus arrived, we were so horrified by the prices we all got up and walked out. It was daylight robbery.
Last week, at Kermadec in Auckland, one main lunch dish was $33. In the evening, entrees were $25, mains around $42 with desserts $18. The wines were equally expensive. In a Takapuna restaurant, also last week, a bottle of Stoneleigh pinot noir cost $48. I could take you to a dozen restaurants in Nice where you’d drink a perfectly good French wine for nothing near that amount….”

Welcome to New Zealand.

So long as someone is prepared to pay those sort of prices people are going to charge them. It’s a free market economy. Perhaps more people should be “horrified by the prices” and ‘get up and walk out’ and spend less time being mollified by the scenery? Whilst they’re absorbed in gazing at those vistas, searching for the lifestyle and dangling from the end of bungy cords they’ll not feel their pockets emptying until it’s too late (In NZ, everything – even the scenery – comes with a price tag)

“Does any of this matter? After all, it’s only tourists who might get fleeced and they won’t be back every year (ed. only tourists?! quite a few immigrants would take issue with that remark) And the Rugby World Cup which is being held here next year might be the last time it is hosted exclusively by New Zealand. So hey guys, grab what you can in hiked up profits, make a fortune and smile all the way to the bank. Right? No, wrong, dead wrong. (ed. why not? it’s been going on for 150 years and has worked just fine)

New Zealanders will be dumb if they even think of such a philosophy. The World Cup ought to be an event that showcases the whole country to visitors from every corner of the globe. They should go home extolling the virtues of this land. Think long term, six or even 16 years of profits on the back of that scenario, not a money grab operation spanning six weeks which will persuade many visitors never to return.
Already, the word is getting out in an international sense that New Zealand is getting expensive. The fact is, you just can’t afford to allow that image to take root. You’re too far away from the rest of the world to afford such a scenario. In Paris, Rome, London or New York they can get away with that purely due to population numbers in those parts of the world. It is very different here. International travellers are not fools; fewer will come if New Zealand is known as too expensive…” read the whole article here

New Zealand draws most of its international travellers from Australia, most of them just a few hours flight time away from New Zealand. Other fans from wider afield are said to be basing themselves in cities like Sydney and plan to fly in and out for matches, or watch the games in 3D cinemas, outdoor venues, bars etc.  There’s only so much that can be done in New Zealand during winter and who’d want to hang around for longer than they’d have to?

Some of the visiting teams may decide to do the same. In September last year the Springboks decided to give ‘boring Hamilton’ a miss and jet in from the Gold Coast, Australia, for a match. How many teams will do the same next year is anyone’s guess but who will blame them for wanting a bit of sun, sea and sand?

The Herald today published another contribution on this subject, this time from former All Black Justin Marshall who agreed that New Zealand is expensive and not just for visitors, he admitted that he’d ignored the warnings from friends that New Zealand was more expensive than Britain:

When former All Black halfback Justin Marshall left for England five years ago, a litre of petrol cost about $1.30. He remembers a flat white coffee costing about $3 and a beer at his local about $6. But since his return to New Zealand about a month ago, Marshall has noticed his British pounds are not going as far as he had hoped. “I think five years ago you could get a coffee for around $3 or $3.50 but I wouldn’t think there would be many places you’d get one for under $4,” he said. “Petrol is now close to $1.80 a litre and if you’re drinking quality lagers in a pub, a lot of the bars are charging up towards the $10 mark. “It’s expensive and something you can’t help but notice.”
Marshall, 36, agreed with rugby correspondent Peter Bills that New Zealand was an expensive country – and not just for visitors. Bills – sounding a caution ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup – said the prices of everyday articles had “horrified” him and Kiwis were “victims of massive overcharging”. He said New Zealand was becoming “one giant rip-off”.
Marshall, an 81-test All Black who is now a Sky TV rugby comments man, said his rugby friends had also warned him that the cost of living had become higher in New Zealand than in Britain. “All of my mates who had come home kept saying to me that I needed to be aware that the expense of living in New Zealand is something you really have to take into account … It really has become an expensive country to live in.”
He said his weekly grocery spend in Britain was between £150 and £200 ($323-$431) to feed his family of five. Here, the bill is $400 to $500 a week.
“I’ve really noticed it with things like cheese, milk and bread and butter … When I was in the UK I bought a leg of imported New Zealand lamb for 17 quid [$36.60]. I bought the same thing here and it was close to $40. “Even when you take the exchange rate into account, it still costs more to buy our own meat here.”
New Zealand Beef & Lamb chief executive Rod Slater said Marshall was “pretty much on the mark” and said prices for export lamb in Britain, our biggest market, were generally “on a par” with prices here. Mr Slater said this parity was partly because of New Zealanders paying GST on food whereas consumers in Britain did not. “So that’s 12.5 per cent right there.
“The other thing is a huge part of the lamb sold in the UK is frozen, whereas we get it fresh here. Our currencies have come closer together as well. I mean, not long ago it was $3 to one pound; now it’s two to one, so that has made a difference, too.” Marshall said retailers, hoteliers and people in the hospitality industry were in a Catch-22 situation with next year’s Rugby World Cup looming.
But he agreed with Cup chief executive Martin Snedden, who expressed concerns that rorting visitors could damage the country’s reputation. “You want people to come to NZ and see it for what it is,” Marshall said, “but in the same breath we want to make money … It’s an opportunity to maximise businesses and maximise what New Zealand has to offer and people are going to be here anyway.
“It’s very difficult to pull away from that opportunity when it is so evidently going to be in your face but you want those people who come here to go back to the UK and not talk about how difficult they found it to find cheap hotels or how expensive it was to go out for dinner.”… read more here

Little wonder that well over 500,000 New Zealanders live in Australia and a similar number in Britain, they know when they’re onto a good thing.

Enough of our thoughts on this. Let’s take a wider view and look at the responses this article drew from people who live, or have lived, in New Zealand and see what prospective visitors and migrants can learn from their comments.

This is a sample from the  TravelMSN site where there was a massive response on a very emotive topic:

NZ a giant rip-off?

kiwi rip off
Posted by: Nick, auckland, on 19/07/2010 9:50:59 PM
I am a recently returned Kiwi and about to become a recently departed one. New Zealand has become, very sadly, ridiculously expensive and there seems little reason for it other than blatant profiteering. the result is an escalation in crime and an influx of the rich. I feel terribly sad to have lost my homeland and very let down by the politicians who are responsible yet unaccountable. If anyone is likely to save this country I for one think it will be the Maori and good luck to them, they are fighting for the values the pakeha seem to have abandoned and I feel ashamed.

Land of Milk & Honey?
Posted by: ndawoodz,Wellington, on19/07/2010 10:38:16 AM
I wish I could disagree…but alas! Single mother of two, prices for food are ridiculous! With pride I have often said, “this is the land of milk & honey”. Seemingly the best of our milk & honey etc gets exported overseas & foreigners get NZ quality produced goods, for cheaper than us!! What!!?? This is seriously not good, us that live here contribute to our economy & I am now left wondering…for what?. The rest of my family had moved to Oz many years ago, so when I visit them I often spend hours in their supermarkets looking at the huge array of variety & prices. The Australians & co are definitely spoilt for choices & prices. Of course us Kiwis are not happy about…but we don’t get any options…Just do what your told! Hmmmmn maybe another family off to Oz soon!…great economy, realistic wages & apparently cheaper NZ produce!

Have to agree
Posted by: goldie, Auckland, on 19/07/2010 9:02:16 AM
Having just moved back to Auckland after 10 yrs living in Europe, the USA and Hong Kong I have to say that I agree mostly that NZ is over priced. Also the quality of things like clothing is crap here compaired to the UK and the USA. I have been looking to set up a house and the choices in furniture and beding etc are pretty poor here. I have just ordered a whole lot of 100% cotton beding from the UK at a much cheaper price (including shipping) than I can get here in NZ. I will be buying most of my clothes from the UK and the USA as the colour choices here (black or red neither of which I wear) are so limited that I can go into every clothing shop in the likes of St Lukes and not find anything in a colour that I would wear. Also most of the clothes we get here are synthetic fabric and I only wear natural fibers. Food here is also very expensive. My supermarket shop is about twice as expensive here as it was in the UK. As much as I love NZ I do find it to be overpriced!

i agree
Posted by: Gemz, Wellington nz , on 19/07/2010 7:02:59 AM
I am a english lass, lived in nz for almost 6 years now and i agree with the reporter. Houses are cheaper here, cars and petrol but thats about it. Clothes are very expensive and i do not agree that they are better quality. Food is totally over priced, its cheaper to buy new zealand lamb in britain then here……what the hell is up with that. Wine is over priced here everything is, they seem to sell nz products to other countrys for much cheaper and then make us pay prices through the roof. Its stupid. New zealand is a beautiful country and i love living here, can hardly afford to live here as the ongoing problem with price rising and wages not rising. Somthing must be done.

NZ a giant rip off?
Posted by: Linds, Te Pahu, on 19/07/2010 5:32:59 AM
Having just returned from a trip overseas to both Italy and the UK and I can vouch for certainty that in NZ we are ripped off for food and clothes in our shops. But then European countries don’t seem to add the equivalent of GST to food or clothing as these are, rightly, considered essentials for everyday living. So why do we put up with this tax on essentials in NZ? As for accommodation, car hire, eating out and wine, NZ is cheaper but then our average incomes are, I reckon, over 40% down on most European countries. One thing most noticeable about the European countries we visited is the abundant affluence as manifested by the huge numbers of new cars on the roads plus the shops, restaurants and pubs were mostly full of customers spending freely. They seem to have fully recovered from the recession.

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2011 World Cup Fans May Be Based In Sydney - "Kiwi Cup Rip-Off"

William Webb Ellis Cup

The Australian Daily Telegraph (see below) is reporting that many sporting tour groups from Britain and Australia are thinking about basing themselves in Sydney for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The decision to stay in Sydney has been brought about by reports of NZ accommodation providers' extortionate price gouging. See our article "Price Gouging and Cleaning Up, the Rugby World Cup" for background.

Rugby World Cup accommodation prices in NZ are so steep that the country's NZ Rugby World Cup Minister has actually been asked to tell hotels to tone it down, some of them have tariffs  700-1,000% more than the usual rates for the fortnight of the tournament.

A 10 night minimum booking at the Auckland Hilton will put the average punter back a whopping $17,000, for a room "the size of a prison cell." (well, NZ prisons are said to be like luxury hotels) $17 grand! that's enough to buy a VW combo (that can be sold off later) and still have change for business class air fares and a night out at the pub.

We don't blame the supporters for wanting to stay in Sydney - the climate is better, there's far wider range of good quality accommodation and entertainment options and they're less likely to get ripped off for it all. Even with flights over to NZ to pay for it will work out a whole lot cheaper, and probably more pleasant, than staying in NZ.

Our regular readers will remember last September's  Springbok Tour who opted to stay in Brisbane, Australia and enjoy the amenities of the Gold Coast, rather than stay over in "boring Hamilton". Coach Peter de Villiers was concerned  his players would suffer from apathy as “there is nothing in Hamilton”. The town's Mayor, obviously offended,  retorted with "To be honest, if the Springboks were in the streets of Hamilton they probably wouldn’t feel that welcome anyway.”

The following day the Hamilton PR effort bounced back and Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen tried to promote attractions such as the Waitomo caves (much loved by David Attenborough) Raglan’s surf breaks and Rotorua, about an hour and a half away.
Anyway, back to what the Australian Telegraph had to say

"Kiwi Cup Rip-Off
NEW Zealand's Rugby World Cup minister has asked hotels to tone down the price gouging after tournament organisers continue to be embarrassed by accommodation rorts and mark-ups.
Sporting tour groups from Britain and Australia are considering basing themselves in Sydney for the 2011 World Cup given the exorbitant prices being charged for rooms in New Zealand during the tournament, particularly the finals in Auckland.
With a shortage of hotels, many have upped their rates by 700-1000 per cent for the finals fortnight and set down a minimum stay of a week or longer.
A room in the Auckland Hilton - normally $344 a night - is going for $1700 per night at a minimum 10-night booking, totalling a whopping $17,000.
And that's for what a front-page report in the New Zealand Herald last week described as a room the "size of a prison cell". Numerous other examples of hotel price gouging abound, but it's emerged bed & breakfasts and private house owners are now also getting in on the act.
A B&B near Eden Park, where the finals will be played, was in the news for asking $1600 per night during the finals. Private homes in Auckland are being advertised for as much as $7000 a week.
NZ's World Cup minister, Murray McCully, last week wrote to New Zealand's Hotel Association, asking its members to find balance between charging a reasonable premium during the tournament but not trashing the country's tourism reputation.
"It is not acceptable for anyone to rort the system - and I'm simply asking people to understand the difference between charging a premium and doing something that is extortionist and harmful to New Zealand's reputation from a tourism point of view," McCully wrote.
The minister said he was confident most hotels would abide but "one or two need to be persuaded".

That sounds rather ominous, will he be sending the boys in black round?

"It's not just Auckland hotels marking up their prices. Rooms as far as away as Queenstown - normally $255 a night - are being offered for $940 a night.
A room in the modest Ibis hotel in Hamilton, a 90-minute drive from Auckland, can be booked for as little for $77 per night, but during the World Cup finals it will cost $770.
Some angry Auckland hoteliers are refusing to join in the gouging.
The owners of the Kiwi international hotel in Auckland will charge no more $200 a night for their rooms, up from a regular rate of $89 but well short of the drastic mark-ups elsewhere.
"It's just ridiculous," the hotel's owner told the New Zealand Herald. "I think it's criminal and not only that, how does it make New Zealanders look?"

Price gouging, or just capitalism in action?  Fortunately Rugby fans are canny consumers and will be looking for the best-value all-round deals they can find. If they find them across the Tasman from New Zealand, Kiwis will only have themselves to blame - it's a free world.

Many New Zealanders have already said that they will only attend a match if it's local to them - only 12% of Kiwis said they intend going to a game and of those only 5% are intending to travel to it. Most of them to the 4 major towns/cities of Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch. They're canny consumers too and simply don't have the spare cash to get ripped off by their fellow countrymen.

Back in March Australia's We Love Rugby issued a press release slamming price gouging in New Zealand, saying that attendances could suffer as a result:

"Attendances at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand could be the lowest ever for international fans with Australia's largest rugby tour operator; We Love Rugby today refuting claims from the Hospitality Association of New Zealand's Bruce Robertson that fears surrounding hotel rates during the 2011 Rugby World Cup were an "Australian beat up... "We have all seen what has happened at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa where tourists are staying away in droves against a backlash of high hotel and transport prices. We saw it at the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies as well.

If this price gouging farce continues the 2011 Rugby World Cup is going to be nothing more than a damp squib, which will be a travesty - for the game, for the people who want to support it and for the many small businesses hoping to make a honest dollar from the event.
For all our 2011 Rugby World Cup related articles click HERE
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More Knives In NZ Schools

What is it with knives in NZ schools right now? there’s been a veritable rash of knife incidents over the last few weeks.

A few days ago we wrote about how the village was failing the child when kids used violence  to sort out their differences, with some parents even scheduling fights for their daughters  in Northland and fights being shown on YouTube.

School violence is becoming ‘family business’ in New Zealand and it’s time to put a stop to it, before anyone else gets hurt…or worse.  777 teachers were assaulted at work during 2008-2009 and there were 1167 incidents of violence, including 51 grievous assaults last year across all educational institutions, including 14 of stabbing and cutting with a weapon. (Statistics NZ)

Schools in New Zealand have open campuses at present and anyone is able to walk into most school grounds un-challenged.

Background

“A knife has been brandished at a school in Hamilton. Police were called to Fairfield College at just after 11am and Senior Sergeant Greg Dunn says enquiries so far, suggest a 26-year-old man went to the school after his younger brother came home saying he was being threatened.
Senior Sergeant Dunn says when the man confronted students, a larger group converged and he pulled a knife. The man then got back into the car and drove off.
The two brothers were tracked to a nearby house and are currently being interviewed by police. The 26-year-old is likely to face charges.”

It is the third incident involving a knife at a NZ school this month, and the second in Hamilton: A 15-year-old girl from Hamilton Girls’ High School was charged with assault and threatening to kill and teacher Steve Hose was stabbed in the back and shoulder by a student at Te Puke High School, Bay of Plenty.

'Safe New Zealand' is a great place to raise kids. Yeah, right.

Read also a blog from earlier today:  NZ Teachers Facing More Abuse

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Huntly Is A "Dead Beat Town," Crime "Rampant"

 After we wrote our post last week about the rise in violent crimes and robberies in Huntly, a fairly typical Kiwi town in the Waikato, the Waikato Times has today put together an article which reveals that crime is ruining local shops.

Some shops have been burgled close to 40 times in the last few years and the cost of crime is now so high that some insurance companies have said they can no longer afford to insure businesses there.

Retailers have been quite blunt in saying what they think of the town, calling it "dead beat" and saying every shop has been touched by "rampant" crime.

And what's causing this crime epidemic - the breakdown of social adhesion, unemployment, lack of facilities, boredom, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, lax/absent policing? No, according to Huntly Community Board chairman Frank McInally it's the victims' fault for not paying $1,000 each to install security cameras. He said:

"retailers were "their own worst enemies..."They won't put their hand in their own pockets to contribute towards the cameras."

Does he honestly believe that cameras will reduce crime in the town? Cameras in banks, gas stations and dairies throughout New Zealand haven't deterred armed thieves one iota. Big Brother is obviously sleeping on the job, or out to lunch.

Some businesses do see some merit in having the cameras though, even though they don't seem to work:

 "The Essex Arms manager Gale Mackay supported security cameras, but said it wouldn't stop offending completely.

The tavern was broken into twice recently despite their premises being equipped with cameras and an alarm.

What is the solution to Huntly's crime? "

 The solution for Huntly will be the same as for the rest of New Zealand.

And, if you're wondering what Huntley looks like take a look at this YouTube video:

 

The day this post was published the town of Nelson was hit by a crime spree. Vandals ran rampant down Main Street smashing shop windows, causing thousands of dollars of damage, some of which was uninsured.  It's very similar to a 4am rampage by a gang of teens in Hastings in January.

In that attack 11 businesses were targeted and the damage is thought to have run in to thousands of dollars. Police arrested four youths, including two 15 year old girls,  a boy of 15 and another age 14. Does Hastings have security cameras?

Police say they are going to look at security camera footage of the Nelson event, which isn't much consolation for the shop owners who are left to foot the bill for the damage, nor does it stop the same thing happening again. This is an excellent example of how security cameras do not protect communities.

 Update 19 March
A day later a home crime fighter in Huntly's neighbouring city of Hamilton was praised by city councillor, Dave Macpherson, for defending himself during a home invasion. Mr Macpherson said that communities were taking the law into their own hands because of police inaction. Police advised victims of crime to take the details of offenders and let them respond. On his blog Mr Macpherson said in an "ideal world" that would be fine.

"But lack of police resources, and an all-too-frequent disorganised police response, often force the community to take the law into it's own hands.

"If you can't rely on the police to stop criminals, then many Kiwis will rightly choose to take on the crims rather than letting them get away with the proceeds of their crimes."

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Hamilton "Boring", Springbok Tour. World Cup Bed Shortage (Updated)

Boks steer clear of 'boring' Hamilton

By Daniel Gilhooly NZHerald

"The Springboks have heeded the advice of former Australian rugby fullback Chris Latham by avoiding Hamilton for as long as possible - to escape boredom.

The South Africans won't fly from their Gold Coast base in Queensland until Thursday, landing 48 hours out from the Tri-Nations test against the All Blacks at Waikato Stadium.
Coach Peter de Villiers expressed concern that his players would suffer from apathy as "there is nothing in Hamilton".

"Hotel fatigue can kick in and the guys can lose interest very quickly and they might start thinking of going home already," De Villiers told reporters in Australia.

"So I decided to bring them here (Surfers Paradise) to keep them interested so that they can be fresh when we get to New Zealand on Thursday. We will only know afterwards if we did the right or wrong thing."

De Villiers may have tuned in to the three-year-old comments made by Latham after his Queensland Reds side heavily lost a Super 14 match to the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Latham said the culprit was pre-match boredom, with players having spent much of the buildup lazing in their hotel rooms, "in what would not be the world's most exciting town".

"If we were here in sunny Brisbane, there's a lot of things to do and a lot of places to go and get out and get motivated and get moving...." Read the rest of the story

Hamilton is already on standby ahead of the test match. A number of world cup officials will be in the town for the game and police are already issuing advice to fans to be on their guard against opportunistic crime as the town prepares for its test match vetting.

Accommodation shortage and price gouging
It will be interesting to see how many world cup fans will decide to do the same in 2011 and fly-in for specific matches, especially as there is a reported lack of accommodation in many of the match locations. Trans-Tasman travel is destined to become cheaper soon with the introduction of 'domestic' flights between NZ and Australia. See New Zealand may fall short of world cup beds (Travelmole)

Some homeowners have already been warned not to hike prices, executive homes near Eden Park are rumoured to be going for $4,000-$5,000 during the week of the final. Final tickets are estimated to cost $800 dollars and New Zealanders are already being offered 6 month buy-now-pay-later schemes.

UPDATE:
The following day the Hamilton PR effort bounced back and Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen tried to promote attractions such as the Waitomo caves (much loved by David Attenborough) Raglan's surf breaks and Rotorua, about an hour and a half away.

The mayor, Bob Simcock, still couldn't resist a swift poke at the Boks' collective eye though by saying "To be honest, if the Springboks were in the streets of Hamilton they probably wouldn't feel that welcome anyway." Well who can blame them for staying away?!

It's going to be an interesting match. All of the 31,557 tickets for the game, the first Bok v. AB meet on Mooloo territory, have been sold.

You many like: NZHerald - 'Where is the most boring place in NZ?' - reader's comments

Armed Robberies In NZ

Armed robberies are not isolated incidents in New Zealand, just the opposite they're now becoming incredibly frequent, hardly a week day goes by without us hearing about one and things are getting worse. In 2008 there were a total of 1,160 recorded aggravated robberies, of which 163 were firearm related and 223 used a stabbing or cutting weapon (source NZ statistics) which means that thousands of innocent members of the public and people at work have been affected by armed robberies in NZ, which is appalling for a country that markets itself as having a low crime rate.

Below is a list (highlighted to show whether a firearm or other weapon was used) of armed robberies that have been publicly notified (a significant number don't make it into the news) in 2009 and 2010 from non-domestic premises. It's becoming evident that these incidents are occurring all over the country, not just in Auckland. This post will be updated as each new robbery becomes known about; we're now adding links to these stories for those who use this site for research.

20 March: Supersave and Speciality Store. SWANSON. woman held at gunpoint and assaulted by two men in their teens, 5.15pm link 19 March: Woman held-up at ATM Machine. Albany, NORTH SHORE weapon unknown, midday link
11 March: Wordsworth Superette, MANUREWA, 7.15 2 males knife and firearm link
10 March: Crook & Flail Bar and Casino, Meadowlands Drive, HOWICK. 11.40pm, knives link
10 March: Video Ezy, HAVELOCK NORTH, man with spanner stole cash, 9.40pm link;
9 March: Pricecutter, Bridge Street, HUNTLY: 3 youths with pistols and iron bar, 7.45pm link
4 March: National Bank ATM, Kepa Road, AUCKLAND, Armourguard employees held-up in front of shoppers, details of weapons not released by police. 12.30pm link
1 Mar: Racecourse Dairy, Green Lane East, AUCKLAND. worker held up with gun, 5pm  link
28 Feb: Massage parlour, Central WELLINGTON, 'Maid' held up by men with pistol link
21 Feb: Harper Street Dairy, WANGANUI, mother and daughter working in shop taken to hospital, no info on weapons, 5.10pm link
12 Feb:  ASB Bank, OTAHUHU, Armourguard Robbery. Single barrel firearm used, 4.40pm link
10 Feb: Pizza Delivery worker, HENDERSON, teenager with a knife link
3 Feb: ANZ Bank, Marewa, NAPIER, man with gun threatened to shoot staff, 12.25pm. link
31 Jan: Taxi Driver, Hiren Mohin during a robbery link
27 Jan: Bank, TEMUKA. firearm link
26 Jan: Trident Tavern, ONEHUNGA, men with guns, 10am. link
25 Jan: Redwood Dairy,UPPER HUTT, 4pm. Molotov Cocktail used to set fire to shop! 4pm link
25 Jan: Post Shop, WAIPUKURAU, Central Hawkes Bay, 9.27am. No info on weapon link
21 Jan: ANZ Bank, Gladstone, GISBORNE, (knife) link
17 Jan: Shell Service Station,  EDGECUMBE. Two men shot at police link
6 Jan:Caltex Service Station,  Bishopdale, NELSON. midnight (two men with a knife) link
5 Jan: Taxi driver, Wycliffe St, NAPIER. 9.45pm (man with gun) link 
2 Jan: Mount Paper Power Lotto Shop, MOUNT MAUNGANUI, 2.55pm sawn-off .22 rifle used link

2009
29 Dec: Bellbird Arms Tavern, McAnnalley Street, MANUREWA, 3 men with shotgun. 12.20pm. link
28 Dec: Kawaha Point Dairy, ROTORUA, 4pm. Youth with knife.  link

28 Dec:  Tip Top Store, BLENHEIM, 5.40pm two men with knives. link
24 Dec: ASB Bank, Mount Roskill, AUCKLAND, gun11am. link
23 Dec: 'Security Van', Westfield Mall, Albany, NORTH SHORE. Masked men, 10.20am, no info for security company, weapons or amount of money stolen. Getaway vehicle recovered from Warehouse carpark. One of the man used a hammer to threaten guards link
22 Dec: Edgeware Post Shop, CHRISTCHURCH, 5pm, gun.
22 Dec:  Miramar Post Shop, WELLINGTON, man with a firearm, 2.50pm.
18 Dec: Levesque Liquor Store, Birkdale, NORTH SHORE, teenager with knife. link

13 Dec: Crinan Street Dairy, INVERCARGILL, 2.30pm. 8th robbery at this store in 6 years, previous was in May.
11 Dec: Post-Shop, Main Street, HUNTLY, 9.38am (no info on weapon)
11 Dec: Woolworths Supermarket, Medway Street, GORE 2.40pm (no info on weapons)
7 Dec:,ANZ Bank CANTERBURY UNIVERSITY, CHRISTCHURCH. "Firearm" 2.45pm
5 Dec: Kiwibank, Chartwell, HAMILTON,  2 men threatened 12 people with rifle. 10.00am
3 Dec: Diamond House, Mangere Bridge, S.AUCKLAND, 3 men, machete and rifle, 10.15pm
22 Nov: Cannons Creek Mobil Service Station, PORIRUA 7.25pm (knife)
17 Nov:  Gull service station, WHANGAREI. 4 masked men, one with a machete.
14 Nov: Isobar, Finns Bar and Bristo, Hornby CHRISTCHURCH. Several $1,000s taken. (knife) 11pm
13 Nov: Service Station, Mana, near WHITBY, 2am (shotgun)
3 Nov: Carlisle Street Dairy off Argyll Street, TAURANGA, 10.50am (man with knife)
3 Nov: Fix Store, corner of Ghuznee and Cuba Streets WELLINGTON, 2.50am (broken bottle)

3 Nov: Armourgard Van - ANZ Bank HUNTLY, 12.12pm (shotgun) is there a connection to the recent Hamilton Robberies?
29 Oct: Travelex, Ward St, HAMILTON. (no information on weapon) 4th in Hamilton this month.
29 Oct: NZ Credit Union office, Laurence Stevens Drive, SOUTH AUCKLAND (gun)
28 Oct: The Mill Liquorsave, TARADALE, 6.30pm (worker stabbed in chest with knife)
27 Oct:  BNZ Bank, Grey S, HAMILTON (no information on weapon) 10.15pm
25 Oct: Kaukapakapa Wines and Spirits, Kaipara Coast Highway, HELENSVILLE, 7.40pm (pistol)
24 Oct: Fay's Place, Garfield Rd, HELENSVILLE, 9.40pm (pistol)
22 Oct: That Place Takeaways on Parkhurst Rd in Parakai, HELENSVILLE (pistol) 9.40pm
15 Oct: Westpac Bank, Westfield Shopping Centre, Chartwell, HAMILTON, 1.47.pm (no info. about weapon)
14 Oct: McDonalds Restaurant, DRURY, 11pm (knife)
8 Oct: BNZ Bank, Kilbirnie, WELLINGTON, noon. Linked to robbery on 5 Oct.
8 Oct: Lincoln Rd Liquor Centre, Lincoln, CHRISTCHURCH, 8.50pm (machete)
6 Oct: Cherrywood Liquor store, Cherrywood, TAURANGA (rifle)
5 Oct: Westpac Bank, Molesworth Street, WELLINGTON.
3 Oct: Pomona St Discount Store, INVERCARGILL, 1.50pm (knife held to worker's throat)
2 Oct: ASB Bank, Westfield Chartwell, HAMILTON 9.30am (offender claimed to have gun)
28 Sept: ANZ bank, Terrace End, PALMERSTON NORTH, ('long barrelled gun') 9.40am. Second robbery at this premises this month +
27 Sept: Centenial Park Store, Church Street, TIMARU. Shop worker hit over head with hammer and shot in face with airgun, 9.20pm
26 Sept: Redan Dairy, Redan Rd, KAITAIA
24 Sept: Jays Bar, Brookland Rd, ROTORUA, 11pm
23 Sept: West Force Credit Union, PAPKURA 2.30pm. Hand gun
20 Sept: Brothel, Mt Wellington, AUCKLAND around noon (BB gun) woman slightly injured
20 Sept: G & S Superette, Lyall Bay, WELLINGTON, 7.45 pm. (30cm long hunting knife)
17 Sept: Rodney Wayne Hairdressers, Westfield Shore City, Takapuna, NORTH SHORE, 8.15pm. Shotgun used, staff member punched in throat.
17 Sept: ANZ bank, Terrace End, PALMERSTON NORTH, 10.45am. ('Long barrelled gun') +
14 Sept: Westpac bank, Horomatangi Street. TAUPO around 2.30pm (no info on weapons)
13 Sept: Lyon St Dairy, Kihikihi, near TE AWAMUTU, 9pm (Female carrying a machete)
12 Sept: Dairy, MANUREWA. Owners Ranbir & Kulwant Singh violently attacked.
12 Sept: Gull Service Station, WHANGAREI (gun)
12 Sept: Hillpark Superette, Grande Vue Rd, AUCKLAND weapon not specified
12 Sept: Price Cutter superette, Vine St in MANGERE, 8.50pm (gun)
11 Sept: BNZ Bank, corner of Bentley Avenue/Glenfield Rd Glenfield, GLENFIELD 2.20pm No info on weapon used.
11 Sept: Westpac Bank, Ngongotaha, ROTORUA, two men with a pistol and shotgun.
7 Sept: Bank, Panmure AUCKLAND 11am (female with knife)
6 Sept: Night and Day store, Ferry Road, CHRISTCHURCH, 1.09am no information released about the weapon used
5 Sept: KFC restaurant, TE AWAMUTU, 11.30pm
4 Sept: Kamo Mobil Mart Service Station, Kamo Rd. WHANGAREI (knife)
3 Sept: Kiwibank, Great South Rd, PAPAKURA, 11am. (Previously robbed 25 Aug)
2 Sept: Antique Store, Dominion Road, AUCKLAND
2 Sept: Park Dairy, Acheson Avenue, CHRISTCHURCH, 7.10pm (metal bar and screwdriver)
1 Sept: Grand Vue Dairy, Great South Road, AUCKLAND
31 Augst: Ratavine Foodmarket in WIRI (2nd time)
28 Augst: Kiwibank Postshop, Dominion Rd/King Edward Street, AUCKLAND no information is being released about the weapon that was used, robbery took place around noon.
25 Augst: Strand Caltex, WANUIOMATA, 10.45pm-11.10pm. No info on weapon released
25 Augst: Kiwibank, Great South Road, PAPAKURA.
23 Augst: TAB, Point Cheavlier, AUCKLAND $13,000 stolen by man with a gun.
22 Augst: Ratavine Foodmarket, WIRI
21 Augst: Halsey Road Foodmarket, Manurewa, SOUTH AUCKLAND
14 Augst: Guthrie Bowron paint shop, Fitzgerald Ave, CHRISTCHURCH, 8.20am (knife)
14 Augst: Armourgard Van, Manurewa, SOUTH AUCKLAND, 9.35am
13 Augst: Ding Dong Dang Dairy, NORTH SHORE, 12.30pm
13 Augst: Shell Service Station, Wiri Station Rd, WIRI 6.30pm
8 Augst: Buns Bakery, Ferry Road, CHRISTCHURCH, 9pm (knife and galvanised pipe)
7 Augst: Whitecross Medical Centre, Great North Road, AVONDALE 9.40pm (metal bar)
7 Augst: National Bank, Westfield Shopping Centre, ALBANY, 2pm (pistol, customers threatened)
4 Augst: Crow Tavern, PICTON, 10.20pm
4 Augst: Westpac Bank, Main St, UPPER HUTT, 2.50pm
1 Augst: BP Connect Service Station, LOWER HUTT, 4am
1 Augst: Caltex Service Station, LOWER HUTT, 4am
1 Augst: Melbourne St Dairy, SOUTH DUNEDIN
30 July: Wespac Bank, St Martins, CHRISTCHURCH, 9am
29 July: Westpac Bank, WHAKATANE, 10.40am
28 July: Kihikihi motorcycle shop, near TE AWAMUTU, 11.20am (AOS involved)
28 July: Merlene's Dairy, PALMERSTON NORTH 11.45am
27 July: Westpac Bank, OPOTIKI, 9.38am
25 July: Taxi driver, TE ARO, days takings and cab stolen, 4.30pm
24 July: Jewellery store, TE PUKE, 11.30am
24 July: Katikati Paper Plus and Post Shop, KATIKATI, 2.25pm (sawn off shotgun)
23 July: Challenge service station, HUNTERVILLE, 9.10pm, shots fired
23 July: Valley Superette, PAPAKURA, 3.30pm
21 July: Mini Mart, MOSGIEL, night time robbery (machete)
17 July: ANZ Albany, NORTH SHORE, 2.05pm
17 July: Taxi driver stabbed and robbed, TAURANGE, early am
16 July: Village Superette, GISBORNE, just before 7am
16 July: Gossamer Liquor at Ussher Place, PAKURANGA, afternoon (machete)
15 July: ANZ Bank, FRANKTON, HAMILTON
15 July, United Video, FRANKTON, HAMILTON, 10.25pm
14 July: Suburban Store,TAHUNANUI, 6.42pm (large knife)
14 July: Howick and Eastern Buses' driver, money stolen at knifepoint
14 July: Mobil service station, TAHUNANUI, 6.52pm (large knife)
14 July: Wespac Bank, North Road, DUNEDIN, 1.45pm
12 July; Dairy, WANGANUI, 6pm. Two teenage girls armed with knives
12 July: Dairy, corner of Radley and Marshal Streets, CHRISTCHURCH, 8pm
11 July: Hills Takeaways, OTARA, 5pm
10 July: HASTINGS Darts Association, 9.30am. No information on weapons yet
9 July: Kiwibank, PALMERSTON NORTH
8 July: Bowl and Jack Tavern, CHRISTCHURCH, 9.30am. No information on weapons yet
7 July: BP Service Station, Ngaio, WELLINGTON, 9pm
3 July: Kiwi Bank, Queensgate, LOWER HUTT, 11.15am
3 July: Copper Lounge Bar, PAPAKURA, 2.40pm
30 June: Armourgard, ANZ Bank, Heretaunga Street East, HASTINGS, 7am
29 June: Kiwibank, Goodbehere St, FIELDING, 1.25pm
26 June: Victoria Dairy, Carruth Rd, PAPATOETOE, 6.20pm (rifle)
25 June: Westpac Bank, St Martins, CHRISTCHURCH
24 June: Angus Inn bottle shop, HASTINGS, 7pm
24 June: Mitcham Avenue Dairy, HAMILTON, 5.30pm
24 June: Kiwibank, Frankton, HAMILTON, 2.40pm
24 June: Westpac Bank, HAMILTON EAST, 10.10am
23 June: Kiwibank, Kuripuni, MASTERTON, 2pm
23 June: Taxi Driver, CHRISTCHURCH, pm. Driver stabbed repeatedly in neck
22 June: Worcester Tavern, Linwood, CHRISTCHURCH man robbed staff and patron, 11 am
20 June: Bedrock Bar, Addington, CHRISTCHURCH three men robbed staff & patrons,3.00am
19 June: BNZ Bank, Birkenhead, NORTH SHORE
17 June: PostShop, Mokoia Rd, Birkenhead, NORTH SHORE, 1.30pm
17 June: Kiwibank, TAKANINI, 10.40am
16 June: Armourguard van Arthur's Bar and Grill, ONEHUNGA, Akl, 1.00pm.
15 June: Spot On Dairy, GISBORNE, midday
13 June: ASB Bank, St Lukes Shopping Centre, AUCKLAND9am
13 June: ANZ Bank, UPPER HUTT, 2.20pm
12 June: ASB Bank, Blockhouse Bay, AUCKLAND 4.20pm
10 June: National Bank, Vulcan Lane, AUCKLAND, 2pm (weapon used was a screwdriver)
10 June: Caspar Dairy, PAPATOETOEe
9 June: ASB Bank, Dominion Road (Mt Roskill) AUCKLAND(Axe) 3.05pm
9 June: Kiwibank PostShop, Dominion Road, Balmoral, AUCKLAND 2.45pm
3 June: Heretaunga Hospital Store, PALMERSTON NORTH, 10am
5 June: Good Tukka Takeaway, OPOPITKI, 2 youths ages 13 & 15 arrested
5 June: Bus Driver, Lyall Bay, WELLINGTON, 8.30pm (weapon used was a screwdriver)
4 June: ANZ Bank, St Lukes, AUCKLAND
2 June: INC Technology, East Tamaki, AUCKLAND 5.18pm
29 May: TAB Dominion Road, AUCKLAND
28 May: Fairview Downs Superette, HAMILTON, 11.30.am
27 May: Armourguard van, Epsom Girls Grammar School, AUCKLAND, 2.00pm
24 May: BP Service station, WHITFORD village, 7pm
23 May: Main Street Fish n Chips, BLENHEIM, 6pm
22 May: ASB Bank, Panmure, AUCKLAND 2:30pm
18 May: Mag and Tyre Direct, New Lynn, AUCKLAND 8.30am
17 May: Pricecutter Superette, HELENSVILLE, 7.15pm
15 May: Westpac Bank, Parnell, AUCKLAND 2:45pm
14 May: Woolworths Micro @ Gull on Hewletts Rd, TAURANGA (machete)
2 May: United video, Great South Road, Manurewa, AUCKLAND 7.15 pm (baseball bat)
2 May: Westpac Bank, Kilbirnie, WELLINGTON, 11.20am
27 April: Aotea Crescent Chinese takeaway, TOKOROA at night. (* see below)
20 April: Dairy, WHANGAREI - led to a high speed chase
12 April: Shell service station, NGARUAWAHIA, 9.20pm. (Knife and baton)
11 April: Bigsave variety store, WHANGAREI (knife)
11 April: Outdoor Connection, WHANGAREI (knife)
2 April: Dairy, Lipscombe Cres. HAVELOCK NORTH. Accused was bailed & then crashed
28 March: Tower Post Office, CHRISTCHURCH, 8am
23 March: Bishopdale Discounter Dairy, CHRISTCHURCH, 7.50pm
16 March: National Bank, Manukau, S.AUCKLAND 11.45am
13 March: BNZ Bank, Manukau, S.AUCKLAND. Armourguard robbed of $200,000, 5:22pm
7 March: Alabaster Pharmacy, Merivale, CHRISTCHURCH. (Petrol poured over pharmacist)
5 March: Kingsgate TAB, Kingsgate Hotel, ROTORUA, 7.30pm
2 March: Time Zone Amusement Arcade HAMILTON, "armed"
2 March: Dissmeyer Superette, Otara, S.AUCKLAND groceries stolen
1 March: Edendale Superette, AUCKLAND cigs, ice cream and cash, 8:15am
25 February: Westpac Bank, Browns Bay, NORTH SHORE,. 11am
10 February: Il Bordello Brothel, WELLINGTON. Lone female receptionist at night
3 February: Taxi driver, Ross Crescent, HAMILTON 1.40am
2 February: ASB Bank, OREWA
1 February: New World Supermarket, CLENDON, 10am
26 January: Tiraumea Superette, PAKURANGA, 3.30pm female police officer beaten up
23 January: Dairy, Eugenia Rise Manurewa, S.AUCKLAND
19 January: Cedar Superette, Manurewa, S.AUCKLAND
16 January: Sunny Brae Dairy, Manurewa, S.AUCKLAND
14 January: 2 x Shell station, Newtown, WELLINGTON, about 5.20am and again at 9am (axe)
14 January: Caltex station, Miramar, WELLINGTON, about 8.20am (axe)
14 January: Woburn Pharmacy, Whites Line East, LOWER HUTT, 4.10pm
7 January: Westpac Bank, Onehunga, S.AUCKLAND
4 January: Wordsworth Rd superette, Manurewa, S AUCKLAND
4 January: Strawberry seller, Swanson Reserve, W.AUCKLAND, 11am
3 January: Medical Centre Pharmacy, Johnsonville, WELLINGTON, 12.20pm
New Year's eve: Shell service station, TAURANGA, weapon not specified
Also see:
Surge in brazen and violent armed robberies
* Crime victim moves out of Tokoroa because of crime
Armed robbery at girls high school

For today's posts see: latest posts

Two More Bank Robberies And A Dairy Hold Up, This Time In Hamilton

The Westpac Bank on the corner of Grey and Clyde Streets in Hamilton East was robbed at around 10 am this morning. A man passed a note to a female teller demanding money and left with an unknown amount of cash. As yet there are no reports about the type of weapon that was used.

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Later in the day the Kiwbank in Frankton (below) was held up by a man with a double barrelled shotgun at 2.40pm, he escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash


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Then at 5.30 a man walked into Mitcham Ave dairy, pointed a hand gun at Mr Patel who owned the shopy and demanded cash, it was exactly two years ago that the dairy was last robbed.

Community Service
"The last robber only got community service," Mr Patel told the Waikato Times. "The Government needs to get tougher on these guys otherwise they will do it again." he said he wasn't scared because dairies in Hamilton "get robbed all the time".

The robberies are just the latest in an alarming leap in aggravated robberies in New Zealand as the year's progressed. There have been 11 armed robberies in NZ banks so far in June and there's every indication that the problem will continue to escalate.

Bank Robber Was Let-Off Lightly
At the start of the year George William Cowen (20) an old boy of St Andrew's College escaped a jail sentence and was given 11 months home detention and 250 hours of community work for the aggravated robbery of another Westpac Bank, St Martins, Christchurch on the afternoon of 8 October, 2008

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The Crown prosecutor asked the Judge Raoul Neave to consider a five-year jail sentence for Cowen and asked whether home detention would send the wrong message to other potential bank robbers. His concerns seem to been borne out.

At present an 18 year old is awaiting trial in Auckland for the robberies of a National Bank in Newmarket, an ASB Bank at St Lukes and the Post Shop on Dominion Road.

It will be interesting to see if he pleads guilty and how lenient the sentencing will be.

See: Over 50 armed robberies in 2009

Hamilton On-Line Date Leads to Sex Assault

Source: Stuff.co.nz
Clio Francis

"Police have issued a warning over the perils of online dating after an alleged sexual assault in Hamilton over the weekend.

Detective Inspector Greg Nicholls said a 41-year-old man was facing a variety of charges relating to the alleged sexual assault of a woman in her home on Saturday morning.

He would appear in Hamilton District Court this afternoon, he said.

"The offender and victim had connected via the internet sometime last November and had been in subsequent contact since by phone, text and email but had not previously met in person.

"The pair had planned to meet on Friday night, however when that fell through the accused had gone to the victim's house and sexually assaulted her," Mr Nicholls said.

He urged people to exercise caution.

"Wherever possible when meeting with someone for the first time meet in a public place, such as a cafe or restaurant and inform someone where you are going and who you are meeting."

A German tourist made headlines last month after travelling to New Zealand to stay with a Dunedin man she had met on the internet.

The woman, 36, struck up an online friendship with a man she believed was a 33-year-old PhD student from Dunedin in October.

When she arrived on February 8, she realised the unkempt, unemployed 54-year-old had lied about his identity.

She went to his house, where chickens lived inside among cartons and rubbish, and there was no electricity.

When he refused to let her leave the house on her own or take her passport, she contacted a person she had met on her plane, who called police.

The Armed Offender Squad were called while the pair were in Kaikoura, but she was later rescued by police.

The man would not be prosecuted, police said."

Armed Robbery on Auckland's North Shore

Source: NZ Herald, 16 Sept 2008
An off licence in the residential suburb of Forrest Hill was robbed by a woman with a gun and her male accomplice at 7:30pm on Saturday.

This is just the latest in a string of armed robberies in the Auckland region, the majority of which have been in South Auckland. However, the spread to the northern suburbs is an indication that the problem is unconfined and has moved to the more affluent areas of New Zealand.

Robbery at Knife Point

Source: NZ Herald, 16 Sept , 2008
Also in the news today is a knife point robbery at a gas station in Hamilton that took place at 1am this morning.

Police are laying the part of the blame on the victim for going against their advice and allowing the attackers into the store. No mention was made of whether or not that advice was passed on to the victim.

Attempted Abduction at Automatic Teller Machine

Source: Stuff, 16 Sept, 2008
A man tried to abduct a woman in Hastings last night after she withdrew money from an ATM. The th assault happened in Heretaunga Street West, fortunately the woman managed to fight off the attacker