tauhara

Hope this does not offend anybody
Quite a few years ago we lived in Taupo and when I lived there I used to do some fishing but was always conscious about leaving the car anywhere isolated as I had it broken into several times. (Also the house was burgled too)
Are things different now in leaving a car somewhere quiet. As we plan to make a return visit from overseas in Jan 2016 and I hope to do some fishing if I can.
Obviously we would not be leaving valuables on display and take sensible precautions .

MrsFychan

sorry but its the same as every other country you get people taking what is not theirs. the other month our friends work van was broken into whilst he climbed a hill at 6.30am. they took his gym bag, dirty clothes, glasses, old gym shoes.

LauraNotts

I've had bike lights unscrewed and nicked in Riccarton, Christchurch. I am just careful now. MrsF is right, it'll happen anywhere.

Snap Shot

Some British tourists had their camper van stolen whilst they were parked in Taupo. They were sightseeing at Huka Falls.

That's all their possessions gone including their passports etc. They were just left with the clothes they stood up in. The fact they were British was irrelevant.

There are thieves and dishonest people everywhere.

I dropped a key purse with my back door and front door key in it in Wanganui. By the time I realised, and retraced my steps it was gone. I asked around the businesses in that street but no one had seen it. So, whoever found it did some stealing by finding. A bit crap as it obviously had keys in it.

I got the locks changed and claimed off the household insurance. The key purse was actually one of those armbands that hold an ipod. I just marked it down to experience. It was old but I'd had the zip replaced and I'd replaced the Velcro armband too.

Catchafire

I often leave my ute parked out in the wilderness and never had an issue, touch wood. Its sensible to plan for the worst and hope for the best. So just dont have anything worth taking in your car.

Here is the Fish and Game website which has fishing info broken down into regional areas. Get off the beaten track and catch that fish!

Fish & Game New Zealand | Fish and Game

jmh

No reason to think anything has changed. Some areas are better than others. Can be bored kids as much as burglars.

Snap Shot

Even when we go on an errand to the supermarket and we happen to have a sports bag with us at that minute we will put it in the boot of the car. The police just about anywhere will encourage people to remove temptation.

Similar when my husband has his urban backpack on. If I've collected him from work and we have an errand to run, he will ask to go home to drop his back pack off or will put it in the boot of the car. No valuables in the bag, just don't want the rear window smashed for a back pack which contains an empty sandwich box and an umbrella.

That's the same reasonable precautions that I would take in Britain.

In Britain cars get broken into for the leather jacket on the back seat.

The police advise, 'don't turn your car into a show room, especially for electrical goods i.e. laptops, phones, ipods etc etc.

Catchafire

I had my car broken into in Sheffield 5 times over 8 years and got burgled twice. The last burglary, was a major reason to leave the UK.

Grayling

.....and, of course, there are no burglaries in NZ

Blade Down Under

That and my job in London got me out of Sheffield. Love the city but Parsons Cross, Darnall, Wybourn and Page Hall are just no go areas.

Catchafire

Not in my experience!!!!!!!!!!

tauhara

Well thanks everyone its sounds just the same to me.
I have to say where I now live we must be in a bubble for none of these things have happened to me since we shifted.
The burglary was the worst as they came into the bedroom while we were asleep. I never heard a thing! I never really felt safe after that. It just seemed per head in population terms the crime rate is quite high.
Nevertheless I will still go fishing.

jmh

It's always a good idea to get the statistics to back up your view. I used to live in SW London, my brother lives in the East. As a council worker I had various stats, including crime. His area was the worst in London, mine the best and the difference was striking. His house got broken into once, mine never was. I personally wouldn't live where he does but he says it is up and coming.

There are some parts of NZ I wouldn't live in either.

TommyLuck

Been in NZ just over two year and have been burgled twice.

Both times were serious (but different) deficiencies in our home security that we could have done much more to avoid.

So whilst both felt pretty crap about it and it doesn't make it acceptable but we accepted that we didn't help ourselves.

Fortunately both times there was a conviction because criminals can be pretty stupid people and do things that lead the police right to them. You couldn't make it up, honestly!

tauhara

Tommy Luck
I agree, it does not make it acceptable all, that is is just people putting up with a certain level of crime.
I do not feel that it is the same everywhere either. I have visited many countries since our NZ days and that is what I draw my conclusions from. ie experience.