Another Attempted Abduction in Auckland

Following yesterday's attempted abduction of an 11 year old girl in North Shore it has been revealed that a second kidnapping attempt was made on a 14 year old in Ravenna Way, Otara. (google street view: link)

Although the two incidents are not thought to be linked they follow a series of similar crimes in the
region where school children have been attacked in broad daylight. One of which was the abduction and rape of a 15 year old in Henderson, by a bogus truancy officer and another the attempted abduction of a 10 year old in Stanmore Bay, Whagaparoa

Attempted Kidnapping on Auckland's North Shore

Source: NZ Herald

"Police are investigating the attempted abduction of an 11-year-old schoolgirl on Auckland's North Shore today.

The girl was walking to school in Beach Haven , when she was approached from behind by a man in a Honda Civic two-door hatchback who got out and grabbed hold of her, police said.

The girl put up a struggle, eventually breaking free and running to school, where she raised the alarm.

The attack happened on Fordham St.

Police are looking for a Maori or Polynesian man, possibly in his late teens, about 1.8m tall, who was wearing a white and black cap with thick white stripes, baggy jeans and a green and white basketball-type shirt.

His car had a dent in the driver's door and its registration possibly started with the letters XA.

Police appealed for help from the public."

NZPA

Gang fight at a Wellington School

More evidence that gang activities and violent behaviour in New Zealand's schools are getting out of control:

Source NZ Herald

"A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful assembly, following a brawl in the grounds of Hutt Valley High School yesterday.

Police said a series of fights broke out shortly before 3pm after a group of three adults and six youths arrived at the school and confronted a student about a previous fight.

The school field erupted into a brawl when about 30 students went to aid their schoolmate.

About a dozen police were needed to quell the fighting and arrest the nine members of the group, who the school's principal said were wearing gang colours.

All nine were charged with unlawful assembly."

Comments:

The incident was also reported by the Dominion Post who omitted to mention that the invasion had been carried out by patched gang members, merely calling them "a group".

One of the 2,000 students at the school has published a video of the incident, believed to have been started by gang called the "Wax Assassins", on YouTube

"Hutt Valley High School BLOODS Vs HVHS"

( link youtube.com/watch?v=ni-0niLt_74 )

The "Wax Assassins" are a youth gang from Wainuiomata with links to the Mongrel Mob

Human Rights Abuses at the school

An article on the Asia Pacific Forum.net website recently highlighted human rights abuses and bullying at the school, whereby boys were dragged onto the school field and violated by their classmates.

Concerned parents reported the incident to the Human Rights Commissioner and calls were made for a national enquiry into pupil safety and school violence:

"The Human Rights Commission is to investigate schools' anti-bullying policies to see whether children's rights to safety are being protected.

The move follows calls for a national inquiry by parents of bullying victims at Hutt Valley High School. The investigation is linked to a study by the children's commissioner into pupil safety and school violence.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan agreed to analyse children's human rights concerns after meeting Hutt Valley parents. Her report will focus on "the right to safety and security of the person, the right to education and the rights of victims".

It will consider how human rights are addressed by schools' anti-bullying policies and make recommendations in situations in which policies are not protecting children.

The Government unveiled anti-bullying initiatives this year after a spate of school violence.

Documents issued under the Official Information Act show Education Minister Chris Carter called for urgent action amid fears that schools were not treating bullying as a priority.

Last December nine Hutt Valley High School boys were dragged to the ground and violated by a pack of six classmates.

The victims' parents wrote to the Human Rights Commission alleging a "systematic failure" by state agencies responsible for protecting children. They asked for a national inquiry into violence and human rights abuses in schools.

The commission has agreed to assist Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro's school safety investigation, which is due to be issued in February.

The Hutt Valley parents' spokesman welcomed the investigations, saying playground violence was "a much broader issue than one school ... We're talking about child abuse".

13 Year Old Robbed and Raped in Public Toilet

Source: Stuff NZ
By Marty Sharpe - The Dominion Post

"Hastings police are investigating a alleged sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl in a central city block of public toilets.

Senior sergeant Dave Greig said the girl was found wandering around the city centre in a "dazed and confused" condition around 8pm yesterday and was taken to the police station by members of the public.

The Hastings girl told police that between 6pm and 7pm she had been approached by a group of 5-6 teenage males outside the Russell Street public toilets

"She was allegedly taken into the toilet by those youths where her handbag was taken from her and allegedly sexually violated by one of those youths," Mr Greig said.

Police recovered property of interest in the toilets last night. The toilet block was cordoned off overnight and a scene examination would take place this morning.

"At this stage we're appealing for any witnesses who were near the toilets between approximately 6-7pm last night to come forward," Mr Greig said."

Two other separate attacks

The allegation comes just weeks after two other incidents involving attacks on women in the area.

At New Year an attacker forced his way into a young woman's home in the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere link and physically assaulted her.

And another just 3 days later when a 42 year old woman was attacked and pinned to the ground when walking through St Leonards Park at about 4.30am. Link

Tokoroa Sex Attack

Link ODT

Police are appealing for witnesses to a sex attack which occurred in the Waikato town of Tokoroa on Saturday night when a 25 year old woman was attacked in the Pine Grove subdivision between 10pm and midnight.

Tokoroa has had its fair share of crime in recent years, see link.

The most high profile probably the sexual assault and vicious murder of 66 year old teacher Lois Dear in her classroom at the Strathmore Primary School. Link NZ Herald

Her killer Whetu Te Hiko was sentenced to a minimum non parole period of 18 years.

Whetu Te Hiko had 13 prior convictions, eight of which were for assaulting women and children in 10 months, from April 2004 to February 2005.

His brother, Hamuera Te Hiko, was jailed for 14 years for the rape and manslaughter of his wife Eliza in December 2000. Link Sensible sentencing trust

Dutch Government Warns Tourists of New Zealand Crime

Source: NZ Herald
Edward Gay

"The Dutch Government is warning tourists travelling to New Zealand of "serious crime" after a second Dutch tourist was raped in the space of two years.

The 22-year-old woman was attacked early last Thursday as she and her 25-year-old partner slept in their station wagon at the Five Mountains Holiday Park in Tuatapere, west of Invercargill.

Police have arrested a 25 year-old man in relation to the attack.

A new heading - "Serious Crime" has now been added to the New Zealand travel advice page on the Dutch Government website.

Translated, the page says although serious crime does not happen often, the number of robberies is increasing and campers are being targeted.

The Dutch travel advice warns campers to use official camping sites and not to park up in the "wild".

The site mentions the rape of the Dutch woman last week as well as an attack in 2006."

This blog has been covering violent crime against tourists of varying nationalities in NZ and raising concernover the escalation in the frequency of the attacks, especially on back packers and campers link link

Sex Assault at Dunedin Back Packer Hotel

Dunedin police have arrested a man for the alleged sexual assault of a woman at the Leviathan Hotel last night.

The man, aged 50, was found near to the hotel as police set up a cordon and spoke to the occupants at around 8:50 pm.

The hotel offers cheap accommodation and is often used by back packers and trampers. Reviews on Tripadvisor.com are mixed and the hotel is described as being like a rabbit warren, situated on a very busy road and with a car park filled with huge juggernauts. Questions are bound to be raised about security at the hotel and access by non residents.

At this stage the nationality of the victim has not been released and police have stated that the incident is not linked to two other rapes which occurred in the town over the weekend.

This blog has previously highlighted assaults on back packers and campers in NZ and the growing frequency of this type of attack on visitors to New Zealand : link

Australian Tourist Attacked in Nelson

Source: Stuff

Police are hunting for a sex attacker who assaulted an Australian tourist walking along a roadside in Nelson, South Island.

The woman had been in NZ with a tour group and had decided to walk from Tahunanui to central Nelson to buy souvenirs when the man dragged her into undergrowth near Auckland Point school.

Her screams were heard by the occupants of a passing car who came to her aid and chased the offender who has yet to be found by police. He was described as having light olive skin, and being about 180cm tall and of medium build, in his early 40s, with greying hair, stubble, bad body and breath odour.

Police have released a CCTV video of the alleged attacker:



The assault comes days after the rape and robbery of a young Dutch backpacking couple at a campsite in South Island and is part of a rising trend of violent crime in NZ.

Also in the news was the arrest of three men for the gang rape of a woman in Matamata last Friday, her nationality is not known at this stage.

On the same day residents of the small town were incensed when a 16 year old youth, out on bail for aggravated robbery despite police objections, raped a 15 year old girl within hours of his release.

NZ First MP Ron Mark commented "When is the Youth Court going to take victims into account instead of worrying about the sensibilities of vicious young mongrels?

To bail him to his home, where his family obviously doesn't give a damn and from where he already absconded at the weekend to allegedly commit rape, borders on the insane."

Matamata-Piako District Mayor Hugh Vercoe said the bail -rape issue was "extremely frustrating, Matamata is a good little town, it does not have a lot of crime and is a very tight-knit sort of place."

Perhaps he would like to reconsider that statement in the light of recent events.

Another Campsite Rape

Sources: Voxy NZ, Stuff

In what is getting to be a rather common occurrence in New Zealand another tourist has been sexually assaulted at a campsite in the country.

A 22 year old Dutch visitor was raped and her partner robbed at knife point whilst sleeping in their car at the Five Mountains Holiday Park in Tuatapere, west of Invercargill, South Island.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested.

Campground owners Zane and Tina Barrett said they were "absolutely devastated" by the attack and would close at the end of March.

The attacker, who is said to be known to Mr and Mrs Barrett,was reported by his mother when she recognised a tea towel and filleting knife used in the attack and shown in news reports.

Update

25 year old Maakiti Joseph Tipene was later sentenced to 10 years prison with a minimum of 7 years non parole for rape, three charges of sexual violation, two of unlawful detention, two of threatening to kill and one charge of burglary.

Tipene was something of a 'career criminal'.

According to the Sensible Sentencing Trust's offender database he

"Unlawfully detained and threatened to kill a Dutch couple in Tuatapere, Southland in January 2009, and repeated sexual violation and rape of the woman

Alarmingly lengthy list of past convictions including, drink driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while disqualified, driving while forbidden, substantial cheque and credit card fraud, burglary, receiving stolen goods, theft of a shop till, theft of food, theft of beer, theft of a chequebook, theft of fuel containers, theft of a car stereo, car conversion, burglary, possession of cannabis, disorderly behaviour, disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, and other charges intentional damage etc etc "

Ten years would seem to be a very lenient sentence under the circumstances, this man could be released back into the community to continue where he left off when he is just 32.

Violent and sexual assaults on visitors to NZ are occurring far more frequently in recent years, this blog has reported some of the cases please see link: violence against tourists

Visitors to the country are well advised to exercise every precaution to safeguard their personal safety, as they would do in any other international location, and not be lulled into a false sense of security by accepting assurances that NZ is a "safe country" with low rates of crime.

The exact opposite is true - NZ has one of the highest reported crime rates in the world, see link: World Crime Rates

Click on map to enlarge

Violent crime on the increase

Police crime statistics (see link) show that in the year 2007-2008 there were 58,761 cases of violent crime, an increase of 11% on the previous year.

There were also a 3,542 reports of sex crimes, 2,364 of which were sexual attacks.

British Schoolgirl Murdered in Kerikeri

Police today announced that a 14 year old student from Kerikeri high school has been charged with the murder and sexual assault of 15 year old Libby Templeman who died last weekend. Although the youth was known to Libby police say that it he was not her boyfriend.

Libby moved from Britain three years ago to the small close knit Northland town of Kerikeri. Friends say the family had got "fed up" with Britain and had decided to emigrate to New Zealand for a better life.

However, due to a downturn in work, the Templemans had relocated to the North Shore where Libby was due to start school at Rangitoto last week and had already auditioned for a part in the school production. She had returned to Kerikeri on her own to visit friends for the weekend.

The small rural town was stunned by her murder, she was a vivacious and well loved member of the community and will be very much missed by everyone who knew her.

Libby's ambition was to be an actress, a singer or anything theatrical and had appeared in pantomimes when they lived in the UK and also in Kerikeri. She was fun and outgoing, a bubbly girl who had grown into an independent, outgoing young woman.

Her funeral and public memorial will be held tomorrow.

RIP Libby.

Guilty Verdict in Masterton Back Packer Assault

Maia Crawford Rongonui was found guilty yesterday of assaulting a 21-year-old tourist with intent to commit sexual violation, and sexually violating her in an attack at Easter last year.

Rongonoui had previous convictions that included burglary, two assaults and one of carrying out an indecent act with intent to offend. He's now in custody awaiting sentencing.

Full story here

Links to http://emigratetonewzealand.blogspot.com/2008/09/tourists-sex-attacker-in-court.html

Tourist's Sex Attacker In Court

Another serious assault on a back packer has been highlighted in a trial in Masterton, South Island today. The incident is yet another illustration of the dangers that tourists continue to face in New Zealand and which they seem to be unaware of.

Source: Stuff, Mon 8 Sept, 2008
"A young Australian tourist thought a teenager was being friendly and helpful in offering to show her back to her backpackers, before he launched a brutal sex attack on her, a court was told today.

Maia Crawford Rongonui, 18, of Masterton, went on trial in Christchurch District Court today over allegations that he assaulted the woman with intent to sexually violate her, and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.

He denied both charges before Judge Jane Farish and a jury, at a trial expected to last four days."

Guilty verdict

Link http://emigratetonewzealand.blogspot.com/2008/09/guilty-verdict-in-masterton-back-packer.html

Life in New Zealand

You've probably seen the 100% Pure New Zealand ads, Lord of the Rings films and "documentaries" (I use the term loosely) showing new migrants' first few days in New Zealand. You may also have read the following statement from the Department Of Labour's Website:

Source: New Start. New Opportunities. New Zealand

"In many ways it’s not what we have that’s important to our quality of life – it’s what we don’t have! We don’t have high crime rates, our police don’t carry guns and instances of corruption are virtually unheard of. We don’t have abject poverty or hunger and we don’t have the pollution, congestion, health issues and cramped city living that we see elsewhere."

More on that later.

There are some other avenues of research to wander down if you're interesting in getting a more balanced view of NZ life, away from the glare of the scenery. First, some mainstream works depicting life in New Zealand:

Once Were Warriors
source: Wikipedia
"New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling first novel, first published in 1990. It tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and portrays the reality of domestic violence. It was the basis of a 1994 film of the same name, directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison. The novel was followed by two sequels, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? in 1997 and Jake's Long Shadow in 2002."



Whale Rider
Source: Wikipedia
"A 2003 film directed by Niki Caro, based on the 1987 novel The Whale Rider by New Zealand Māori author Witi Ihimaera. The world premiere was on September 9, 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival"














World's Fastest Indian
Source: Wikipedia
"A film based on the legendary New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro. Munro set numerous land speed records for motorcycles with engines less than 1000 cc at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Many of his records still stand to this day."











Where else to look? Most of the Daily Newspapers have an on-line edtion. A list is here, you may like to find the news for the region you're interested in. There are also many online forums where migrants discuss the ins and outs of migration in many countries, some of these sites have a tendency to supress what are perceived to be negative comments about New Zealand.

"We don't have high crime rates"

Crime Statistics
According to Nationmaster New Zealand has the second highest rate of reported crime in the world at a rate of 105.881 per 1,000 people. The top ten countries are ranked as

1. Dominica
2. New Zealand
3. Finland
4. Denmark
   
5. Chile
6. UK
7. Monteserrat
8. USA
9. Netherlands
10. South Africa

A more detailed breakdown for the statistics of different types of crimes may be found in the document New Zealand Crime Statistics 2007.


As you can see the incidence of violent crime is cause for concern (click on image to enlarge)

Hardly a day goes by without a news report of an armed robbery, unprovoked assault, incident of domestic violence or other violent crime. Here are just some of thre crime reports from around the country that are in the news today.

Woman's Body Found in Flat
Source: NZ Herald, Wed 3 Sept, 2008
"Police have launched a homicide investigation after a woman was found dead and a man injured at a central Auckland apartment building yesterday.

Police were called to the apartment in Winchester St by ambulance services shortly before 4pm.

A man in his 20s who called police to the apartments is expected to remain under police guard at the hospital for several days, as he is treated for a serious injury to his hand."

Gang role in Bashing Probed
Source: NZ Herald, Wed 3 Sept, 2008
Police are investigating whether youth gangs were involved in a brutal attack which left a South Auckland teenager in a critical condition.

"Tuatu Cecil, 19, is in Middlemore Hospital with head injuries after he was attacked by a group in Papakura about 2am on Sunday.

Police found him unconscious after responding to reports of a group of people fighting near netball courts on Smiths Ave.

Detective Inspector Mark Gutry said police had been busy interviewing people in the area where the attack happened. He said Mr Cecil had been attacked after a fight or altercation between two groups of people."

Police Hunt Sydenham Sex Attacker
Source: Press.co.nz wed. 3 Sept, 2008
"Christchurch police are seeking information from the public after a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at 6.30 last night.

The girl was walking along Selwyn Street in Sydenham when she was attacked from behind and dragged onto the grounds of Christchurch South Intermediate School.

The offender is described as a male, possibly wearing a hooded sweatshirt, and it is believed he left the school grounds via the Selwyn Street exit.

Police would like to hear from a man who was seen walking a white labrador in the area at the time."


Girl Told Accused About Sex Abuse
Source: Dominion Post Wed. 3 Sept, 2008
"A 10-year-old girl sexually abused by a paedophile - who was killed in a vigilante attack to avenge the abuse - feared he would hurt someone else if she did not speak up.

Glen Stinson, a paedophile with convictions dating to the 1960s and on bail for fresh sex charges against young girls, was killed on July 31 last year. It is alleged that he was punched and kicked to death after he was found touching the girl at a party. His body was dumped on the country driveway of a poultry farm in Foxton.

Aubrey Harrison, 27, and a woman who has name suppression, 32, have been jointly charged with his murder. They deny the charge. Bruce Tamatea has pleaded guilty."


Ambulance officer guilty of indecent assaults on patients
Source: NZherald Wed. 3 September, 2008
"A 35-year-old former ambulance driver has been found guilty of indecently assaulting patients in the back of an ambulance in Auckland in 1999 and 2000.

A jury at the Auckland District Court found the man guilty of six counts of indecent assault, four of which were on a 16-year-old schoolgirl who had been injured in a car crash.

He was acquitted of sexual violation and four other indecent assault charges.

The man has interim name suppression."


Xue Strangled Wife With Tie
Source: NZHerald Wed. 3 September, 2008
"Nai Yin Xue, who abandoned his daughter in a Melbourne railway station, used a yellow tie to strangle his wife before dumping her body in the boot of his car, a court was told today.

At a depositions hearing in Auckland District Court, crown prosecutor Brian Dickey presented evidence in the case against Xue who is charged with murdering his wife An An Liu last September.

The depositions hearing has been set down for two days, before two justices of the peace."

"Our Police Don't Carry Guns"

Rise in Public Support for Police to Carry Guns
Source: NZHerald Thurs 24 July 2008
"New Zealanders have changed their minds about an unarmed police force. More than half of those in a new survey want the police to carry firearms.

Just five years ago a majority were still opposed to the idea. Only 33 per cent supported it. Now 53 per cent would approve.

The survey of 500 people by Research New Zealand has also revealed that 44 per cent of the public are more concerned about their personal safety than they were last year.

People were asked: "How much do you approve or disapprove of the Police carrying guns?"

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the findings reflected a nation worried by a steady increase in serious violent crimes, mostly related to methamphetamine.

"It's a clear reflection of the disturbed public feeling about the amount of violence out there," he said.
........

A 2003 survey of (police)association members showed that 64 per cent did not want, or were opposed to, the general arming of police, he said.

By 2005, that figure had risen to 69 per cent."

TBC......