Criminals 'running rampant' in forests

Forestry and security company workers say they fear for their lives because of escalating violence and crime in Central North Island forests.

They say they are fed up with a growing number of attacks by dope-growers , gang-members and poachers, and want more powers to defend themselves and equipment before someone gets killed.

Independent Security Consultants forest security manager Terry Bennett said attacks on security guards had been getting much worse over the past few months.

In one incident, gang-members caught planting marijuana seedlings attacked a lone security guard with a spade.

In another clash, poachers found near Mamaku rammed one of his staff's vehicles with their car.

"It's becoming really heated out there," Mr Bennett said.

"We are getting right into the middle of the dope season now and these guys are just getting more and more violent to protect what they are doing."

Mr Bennett said part of the reason criminals were running rampant was because judges were too lenient on those caught.

"The courts don't support what we are trying to do at all.

"These guys are just being convicted and discharged and they just head right back out there and pick up where they left off.

"There seems to be this view that they are just out joyriding and are not causing too much harm, but the judges need to know that things are getting a lot worse."

Criminals were becoming "a lot bolder, a lot nastier".

"We never used to get physically attacked like we are now."

Mr Bennett said a lot of equipment was also being stolen or destroyed.

Calling 111 was of little help as it might take police hours to arrive.

In another incident, a security guard had tried to stop a suspected drunk and stoned driver who had children in the car.

"Our guard tried to get the keys off him but he became pretty violent.

"He took off and there was nothing we could do to stop it."

Kaingaroa Timberlands harvesting manager Kelvin Murdoch said he knew of many contractors who were suffering at the hands of hoodlums.

Expensive equipment was repeatedly stolen and a digger was recently shot at and severely damaged.

"We can't stop them coming into the forest ... The police need to target whoever is buying these things to order."

General manager Russell Dale said the industry was extremely concerned about the increasing level of vandalism and damage caused by dope-growers.

"The contractors have some pretty expensive gear out there.

"There are criminals who are basically thieving anything they can get their hands on.

"These contractors provide real work and livelihood for a lot of people. It's the heart of a pretty big industry in the Bay of Plenty," said Mr Dale.

"The issue this raises is, do the police have the resources to respond to this sort of thing? I guess they have a lot of demands and they do need to prioritise, but it does appear that they are under-resourced."

Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne could not be reached for comment.

- NZPA