'It's so quiet only cicadas wake you'

Ocean-facing properties in exclusive Bleakhouse Rd frequently fetch multimillion-dollar price tags.

As the long road sweeps from the Howick town end to the northern tip, the houses grow in size and stature. About one in three on the sea-facing side has security gates. Many have plenty to protect.

The Zhao's house, at 233, was bought for about $2.2 million 18 months ago, and a neighbouring property was recently snapped up for close to $3 million.

The street is a mixture of wealthy new migrants, keen to buy a slice of land with commanding views across the Tamaki Strait to Waiheke Island, and long-term residents.

As Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone said, "It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to work out they had a few quid."

The area remains an attractive area for those seeking tranquillity, ocean views and privacy. But that quiet was shattered yesterday as police and media flocked to the scene of the kidnapping.

Neighbour Brian Polkinghorne has lived here for 32 years and has never known anything like it.

"It's really a very quiet part of town and the most you hear is an occasional car backfiring," he said.

Sara Jones said it was scary that something like this could happen so close to home.

For another neighbour, who asked not to be named, it had been the most "bizarre and scary" day. She was woken at 2.30am by the sound of a car crashing through security gates.

"It's usually so quiet here that only the cicadas wake you."