tottefan

Crime in NZ IMO was summed up by the 31 arrests made in the past week in Wellington during the England rugby tour. According to one policeman, it has been the busiest it has been for years and 'he had never seen anything like it in nearly 30 years of policing'. There were 31 arrests for offences including theft, assault, drug possession and disorderly behaviour.

Sums it up for me!!!


tottefan

Sega Mad

Crime in my house was summed up by the zero arrests made in the past 12 months during my family's occupation. According to one policeman, it had been utterly dormant and 'I've never seen anything at all in 30 years of policing'. There were no arrests for offences including drug taking, nakedness, infantile behaviour or frivolousness (although all of the above may have occurred). The only arrest on record was a cardiac arrest of a previous occupant but they were released after a brief spell in hospital.

Sums it up for me!!!

tottefan

There's no need to be facetious.

tottefan

Sega Mad

Sorry......just in a mischievous mood!!

lippy

2 things.

1. None of the arrests were Brits.
2. My mate got mugged by a Maori for his pint in a bar.

Merlot12

Given the small numbers of British tourists wandering around (including the barmy army), why is it noteworthy that none of the arrested people be from the UK? I am not sure that this post makes any sense?

Of course if it was british tourists supporting a game involving a round ball, then it would be a different story...

muppetking

Mate there were 16 arrests in Christchurch after the Lions. NONE of them Brits. Deal in facts.

scottish

Also remember that the game involving the round ball isnt British tourists but English Im afraid (sorry to all my English friends). It is a well know fact that Scottish followers of the round ball game are we loved throughout the world. Yes, I am biased but it pisses me off when we them minute theres trouble abroad re football the hooligans are called British....

Sorry again to all my English friends!!!!!!!

sky

Crime is happening all the time over here just cos the population is smaller it's not as often but the same horrific crimes do definately happen. Also the press is cr*p over here and there is no follow up of a story it just kind of gets forgotten like it never happened.

sunshine_and_rain

My English friend who came for the BOP game sat in the grassed area, he and some his mates - both English and Kiwi, were watching the match and enjoying it, when some Maori's started throwing bottles (glass ones) into them and the surrounding Lions supporters. They moved away to avoid confrontation but it really hacked them off. The Barmy Army are NOT known as trouble makers - in fact quite the opposite, so to align the arrests with British and Irish Lions Supporters is a little strong. As noted no English arrests, think the arrests are more down to a passion for alcohol and causing trouble.

sunshine_and_rain

Have to agree with Sky as well. Crime does happen here - there are still nasty things happening. In fact one of my HUGE worries over hear is the lack of child protection. At least in the UK we have an 'at risk' register list and social services (however crap they may be - and however many things get missed - at least we find out they are getting missed) have some rights to visit children. I spoke to a plunket nurse here who told me becuase of the privacy act here, even if they suspect child abuse, they have no right to go the home and check on the child. All they can do is report their concern to CIFS. We have 1 part time child advocate at the hospital here, and I can tell you it is happening here just the same as everywhere else and I think there are lots of kids getting missed and living in very abusive homes.

I think its risky to view NZ has a 'perfect' utopia - its not. I LOVE it here - but there are issues here - just the same as at home - just that the scale is not as large. There are people living well below the breadline here - just like there are at home. However, having said all of that, I find NZ beautiful and safer on the whole - probably down to sheer population numbers. I just don't think people are meant to live on top of each other like they have to in the UK, whereas here we can spread ourselves around a bit and enjoy some space and tranquil when we need to - very difficult to do at home sometimes.

Sky is right about the press also, there is not always a lot of follow up. There are other issues here that don't exist at home, for example all the rangling over the ToW, and all that that entails, but - again I still LOVE living here and think its a wonderful country with hope and beauty. I just think its dangerous to view it through rose tinted glasses ALL of the time. I do most of the time but I am aware of the bigger picture.

Tooanfrom

Just to really get it into perspective, Maori or as the police so quaintly put it "Maori or Polynesian" make up 10% of New Zealands population--but they make up 75% of the prison population.

I know--I worked in a prison.

extrameant

You get crime anywhere I guess. If you come to NZ, you really need to accept that the country hasn't the resources to police itself to the level you are used to.

Some examples

I found a sawn off pump action shotgun in the local motorbike park and called the police before I picked it up. It was deep in the bush and I expect no-one thought it would ever be found, but it hadn't been there for long at all by the look of it. They said just to hand it in when I was next passing. They weren't interested in checking the area I found it. (I had a quick look for any money, but then stopped when I though I might find something a bit more gruesome!)

The recent case of a girl who called 111 from Piha at around midnight (25 mins from auckland) and the police sent a taxi. She was never seen again. Yeah there's some confusion about how serious she sounded, but the facts above remain true.

There was a case I can't remember the exact details but something like 300~500 youths in either tauranga or BOP 2~3 years ago were getting drunk on a beach and hooning it with cars etc. 12 policemen were sent but they were pelted with bottles so they left. Don't blame them, but the risk is, the youths probably now think they can do that type of thing again and get away with it again. Interestingly when we were in perth WA last year there were 1200 youths doing the same on a beach. The police sent in loads of guys and stopped it dead. A funny thing was there was one complaint that a person had his head smashed off a car windscreen by the police. The police reply was he headbutted the window.


I think there is far less crime in NZ than UK just now, but it is on the increase. In fact TVNZ run a series just now, showing people how to break into houses. It is supposed to show owners how to take precautions, but I think it is pretty educational to young burglars.

shamo

Hi, Hope you don't mind me getting in on this one.
20 to 30 arrests over one night is not uncommon over a weekend night where I live/work, from a simple breach of the peace to rape or murder (which happens on a disturbingly regular basis), I fear to bring up my young kids here in the south east because of this, the level of Violent crime is one of my main reasons for wanting to leave the UK, It's getting worse...very worse very quickly.

Joshlin

I agree with sunshine and rain - I'm sure that we can all provide horror stories, statistics wherever we are - as long as we stay openminded to the good and the bad then we shouldn't end up too surprised by anything - there will always be the unpleasant element who try to spoil things and equally there will always be the element that will go out of their way to offer the hand of friendship.