Bay crime rate soars

A surge in drugs and alcohol-fuelled disorder is behind a 9.7 per cent jump in crime reported in the Western Bay of Plenty.
The figure for the year ending June 30 is part of an overall recorded 10.7 per cent rise in the Bay of Plenty police district - the largest nationwide increase of reported crime.
The annual statistics, released by New Zealand Police, showed there were 1405 disorder incidents in the Western Bay over the past year.
The figure marks a 42 per cent rise from last year's 989 and most incidents involved alcohol.
Western Bay area commander Inspector Mike Clement defended the statistics, saying alcohol-related crime remained a challenge but the increase was attributable to the "committed" targeting of alcohol and drug offending.
This year there were 1229 drug offences, 315 more than last year's 914.
"That rise in numbers is a reflection of a deliberate strategy to address organised crime in the Western Bay of Plenty," Mr Clement said.
"These criminal networks are making hundreds of thousands of dollars from their offending, making profits from money that is coming from this community, often through dishonesty offending like burglary and theft.
"We will continue to target those who deal in methamphetamine, cannabis and other drugs, and we will seize their assets, homes if necessary, under the new Proceeds of Crime Act."
Burglary is another area where crime increased in the past year, rising from last year's 1762 reported incidents by 77.
"We started the new financial year with a range of tactics to reduce burglary.
"It is important to the community and it is important to us," Mr Clement said. Family violence also rose from 1391 reported incidents to 1588.
The figures came as no surprise to Vietnam War veteran Evan McKenzie, 62, who was the victim of a bashing by a group of drunk teens in March.
The last of the five offenders, aged between 16 and 18, was processed in Tauranga District Court yesterday, bringing an end to Mr McKenzie's seven-month ordeal.
Mr McKenzie felt strongly that the attack on him was fuelled by alcohol. He was left with a head injury, missing teeth and severe bruising and cuts.
He believed alcohol and drugs increased the likelihood of crime because it made people feel "indestructible".
"[Younger people] have lost the respect and that, combined with alcohol, makes it [worse].
"Any sort of comprehension, anything in your head goes out the door.
"One thing that surprised me was the instant change from being able to talk to them, to this instantaneous rage.
"They were just looking at an outlet and I just happened to poke my head up at the wrong time."
The effects of the offenders' drunken night out are long-lasting for Mr McKenzie.
He still faces dental work and tests for his head injury, which has left him unsteady.
The biggest price is his loss of security and change in family dynamics.
"I have gone from father and protector to being the one that has to be cared for or looked after.
"I've got both my youngest children living with me. It's just the fragility."
Keith Carter from Greerton's Community Patrol (Nightowls) said he noticed police getting a "hammering" on burglaries in the past few months.
This year's statistics did not surprise Mr Carter "at all".
Get Smart manager Stuart Caldwell said the alcohol and drug-related offending was "really concerning".
"We are working flat out in our work load, it has basically doubled this year and that is indicative of the increase of issues out there."
Street Help chairman Grant Andrews said trouble with youth under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the central city at night was a regular occurrence.
Street Help is a van run by Get Smart that has offered food and hot drinks at night to people in the central city for nearly 20 years.
"People hang around the streets with nothing to do... the chances of them getting into trouble are pretty good. They are liquored up and looking for some sort of scrap or something to take off with," Mr Andrews said.
However, the presence of police changed things "remarkably".
"When there are no police around they are carrying their bottles and staggering around but when the police are on the beat they straighten up and hide their bottles," he said.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said the police did a fantastic job. However, the area was growing fast and attracting "real criminals".
"We are no longer a town, we are a real city with real city problems. I think that is something that's happening in Tauranga and in some part explains an increase in drug and alcohol crime."
The number of crimes solved by police rose from 56.4 per cent to 58.4 per cent in the past year.
The only crime categories that had dropped in recorded incidents were thefts from cars, down from 988 to 953 incidents, while the number of cars stolen had fallen from 370 to 349 cases over the previous year.