Shooting sparks gang fears in Masterton

WAR ZONE: Cameron Block residents fear gang tensions in their community are getting out of control. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Police have confirmed a drive-by shooting amid fears of gang warfare on the streets of Masterton.

Cameron Block residents say they feel as though they are under siege with a drive-by shooting of a window in the area two weeks ago and ongoing gang tensions festering.

They say they are living in a "war zone".

But police say they can't do anything unless people talk to them - which can be done anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Police are keeping an eye on the situation.

Fearful of retaliation, residents who spoke to the Times-Age were not prepared to be identified when the reporter went to investigate claims of recent gang activity in the area.

They say along with the drive-by incident, carloads of patched gang members cruising the area have been yelling outside one block of flats.

It's clear people living there are very afraid.

One woman shut her front door to the Times-Age reporter, stating as she did so, "how many windows do you think will still be intact if I speak to you?"

Another resident said she wanted to call police when she heard gunshots but her partner stopped her.

"Gang tensions are building ... I think it is because you have Mongrel Mob and Black Power living close to each other."

Another woman, who has lived in the area for the past five years, said when a car load of patched Black Power members pulled up "yelling and screaming" recently in an alleyway beside her home, she was terrified for her children.

"There were about five of them ... They pulled up outside yelling and carrying on. It hasn't touched my kids yet but I am scared. It's just getting worse and worse," she said.

"I don't want to get involved really but it is getting out of hand."

A Church St man said it was like living under siege some nights.

He said recently three young people sitting in a car near his home were set upon by a group of patched gang members and beaten up.

Gunshots broke the quiet of a peaceful night recently too, he said.

"During the day it is as quiet as a church mouse but at night it's like a war zone. Someone is going to get hurt. It has to stop."

People were scared to call police, fearful of retribution, he said.

"We shouldn't have to live like this but nobody wants to a be a target because they narked."

Detective Sergeant Barry Bysouth said police had heard about the drive-by shooting but when they investigated they couldn't go any further with it because there was no evidence and residents clammed up.

"We had a tentative report of something like this. We did some work down there but it's very difficult when people don't want to talk to you ... there were no leads for us the follow," he said.

Police had increased patrols in the area along with other areas of concern, Mr Bysouth said.

"We have got patrols concentrating on areas of high risk."

Meanwhile, people who pass on information about this incident or any crimes can do so anonymously through Crimestoppers.

"We couldn't find out who they were even if we wanted to."

Trust House management, which owns many properties in the Cameron Cres area, says they don't know of any gang tensions in the area.

Chief executive Allan Pollard said they had heard windows had been broken in one of the Cameron Cres homes recently but understood it was because of a domestic dispute.

"We have the odd thing happen but nothing like what you are describing ... this is quite concerning if this is what is happening," he told the Times-Age.

He plans on investigating it further.