Many Northland communities have been left traumatised by the rampant noise and burnouts made by racing bikers and cars.
Many Northland communities have been left traumatised by the rampant noise and burnouts made by racing bikers and cars.
For many Northlanders summer is as a time to relax, spend quality time with family, hang out with friends and have fun. However, it’s no secret that the season also experiences a rise in crime and other notorious activities.
Data provided by police suggests 1941 crimes were committed in Northland over last summer, which ranged from harassment to theft.
Ahipara resident Dave Ross said his community was traumatised by the unbearable noise coming from bikes and cars screaming down the roads.
“It’s a huge problem that we have had over the years and it especially gets worse every summer.”
Despite the Far North District Council’s effort to stop such activities by installing several speed bumps only last year. Ross felt that such measures did not have the desired effect.
“The riders are now using those bumps to see who can get their bikes jump high the most,” Ross said.
Similar sentiments were shared by Kaikohe local Bill Hutchinson, who felt the “noise situation” caused by illegal racing and burnouts was “out of control”.
“They just do whatever they want without thinking how it impacts the people living in that area. Even their safety is compromised when they break the road rules.”
Kaitaia’s Andrea Panther expressed the same concern and recalled when she saw motorcyclists (without helmets) speed past her area dangerously.
But the biggest issue, she felt, her community faced was alcohol.
“We get a lot of family violence, drunk driving and displaying threatening behaviour-related reports from that one problem.
“Last summer, we had a person threaten to hit staff at a Farmer’s store. Since then they have hired more security personnel to safeguard their employees,” Panther said.
In Dargaville, Marion McEwing who runs the Sewing and Curtain Centre said that although she felt safe in her community, there were always a few “notorious elements”.
A few summers ago, she remembers an “out of town” person smashing her shop window.
Dargaville resident Marion McEwing says Dargaville is a pleasant place to live in during summer, except for a few "notorious" activities. Photo / NZME
“But since then haven’t had many problems. We do see some people driving more irresponsibly in summer though.
“I remember almost crashing into this lady who ignored the stop signs and went right in front of me and didn’t stop to apologise,” McEwing said.
Northland Road Policing Manager Anne-Marie Fitchett said they understood the distress that anti-social behaviour on the roads - such as the noisy vehicles and poor driver behaviour - could cause residents.
She advises people who observe such activities to report to the police with as many details right away.
“If officers are not able to attend the area immediately, these details are helpful for follow-up enquiries.”
Northland Road Policing Manager Inspector Anne-Marie Fitchett assures the public of increased police presence to combat crime this summer. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Fitchett said additionally, there would be a boost in police presence, with officers conducting alcohol checkpoints, spotting those not wearing seatbelts or using mobile phones, and ensuring compliance with speed limits.
Besides roading disturbances and alcohol-related problems, the frequency of theft and burglaries was another headache over summer.
Police data from the first week of December 2022 to the last week of February last year show reported 1242 thefts and 346 burglary and break-in-related offences were reported in Northland.
Z Service Station communication manager Jeremy Clarke said their Northland fuel sites unfortunately experienced a significant level of retail crime over time – with fuel theft and burglaries being the most common crimes.
Keeping the wellbeing of their staff at outlets in mind, in the last five years the retailer has invested $33 million on security measures such as reinforcing doors and windows, and installing fog cannons, among others.
Whangārei Holiday Park co-manager John Rudstale said over the last few summers some homeless people had tried to break into the kitchen.
“One had even managed to slip into the lounge and was later handed over to the police.
“Other than that, we occasionally see some petty thefts happen but nothing more,” Rudstale said.
Kaitaia Business Association chairman Josh Kirby said the retailing community in his area was always concerned about the uplift of theft and related offences over the summer period.
Kaitaia Business Association chair Josh Kirby says retailers are worried about the uplift in crime in the area during summer.
“That feeling was reflected during a recent survey we conducted for all the retailers here. They also feel that the attitude of aggression of those offenders is becoming worse every year,” Kirby said.
For Oakura Bay residents, the issue was more about dealing with irresponsible dog owners.
Ever since the community installed CCTV cameras across the region, there has been a gradual decline in crime.
Local Kylie Rogers said at present they were trying to deal with dog owners who left their untrained dogs roam at times and in places where they should be on a leash.
“Just recently we had a dog bite another dog just like that … I have dogs, but unlike some, I do train my dear ones.
“Other than this, we don’t see much serious crime,” Rogers said.
Whangārei Area Commander Maria Nordstrom said since Northland experiences an influx of people every summer, criminal activities also rose. .
“But we will be highly visible across the region this season, as we look to ensure everyone is safe and prevent harm in our communities,” Nordstrom said.
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.
