A Civil Defence centre has been set up in Auckland overnight after intense thunderstorms caused “significant flooding” across the city.
Video / NZ Herald
A North Shore woman reported a suspicious visitor claiming to be conducting a storm damage survey.
Auckland Council confirmed no staff are doing house-to-house checks and advised asking for ID.
Councillor Richard Hills urged residents to request ID and report suspicious activity to the police.
A woman on Auckland’s North Shore says she was visited by a “suspicious” person claiming to be a council storm damage surveyor following Cyclone Tam.
The Beach Haven resident said on Facebook, “A young woman came to my house today saying she was doing an Auckland Council survey about storm damage.
“She said two more people would follow with the questions, but no one else came.
“She had no council ID, and didn’t visit any other houses – I checked with council and of course, they have no staff doing house-to-house checks."
The woman told the Herald the person was wearing an ordinary high-vis vest, which didn’t have any council branding.
“I think she stopped at mine because we’ve been renovating it. Suspicious.”
How to spot official response teams
An Auckland Council spokesperson said that after the storm events of the past week, Auckland Council building inspectors and Auckland Emergency Management response teams have been visiting some affected properties.
Sixteen building inspections have been carried out in the Mt Roskill and Sandringham areas, and around 50 further inspections will take place this week across the region.
Auckland Council officers will be in uniform, drive a council-branded vehicle and carry a council ID card.
Auckland Emergency Management’s volunteer response teams are visiting properties that may have had prolonged power outages to offer welfare assistance and are doing this work in collaboration with Vector.
Richard Hills. Photo / Supplied
Response teams will also be in uniform and drive emergency management-branded vehicles.
The Auckland Council spokesperson said, “If you have concerns about people impersonating Auckland Council staff, you can phone the council on 09 301 0101 for verification.
“Please ask for the full name of the individual and which team they are representing, for example, the ‘building inspections team’ or an ‘Auckland Emergency Management response team’.”
Auckland councillor Richard Hills ‘incredibly disappointed’
Auckland councillor Richard Hills told the Herald he was “incredibly disappointed in people allegedly taking advantage during a time like this”.
On Facebook, Hills said, “Please, if anyone experiences this, please ask for council ID immediately (which they won’t have) then ask the person to leave.
“If they don’t leave you can call 111. After they leave please log with police on 105 with a description of the person.”
Police said this is “unfortunately something we do sometimes see after natural disasters or weather events”.
“It sounds like the woman who posted this did exactly the right thing by requesting ID and contacting the council.
“We would also encourage people to report incidents like this to police – this helps us form a picture of any potentially criminal activity we should be investigating.”
The police said they have not been made aware of this specific case.
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