KEY POINTS:
Teenagers who use the internet to post adverts for wild parties are using tighter security measures to prevent their rages being shut down by police.
One tactic is ensuring sons and daughters of police officers do not know about house parties.
People who attend the parties are also being told to watch out for "random" adults by themselves.
If any are seen they should be kicked out because they are "undercovers" trying to "snitch" on what is happening.
The warnings have been placed on social networking site Bebo on a page entitled Rages in Tauranga.
People post messages about where house parties are going to be held in a battle over who can hold the biggest event.
But to avoid police logging on to the site and finding out the locations of parties, party holders are now being told to set up a private page to advertise them.
Hosts should also ensure that people do not drift on to the street to avoid complaints being made.
The Bay of Plenty Times reported earlier this month how about 150 people turned up to a 17th birthday party at a house in Laurence St North, Gate Pa that was advertised on the internet.
But the party got out of hand when drunk teenagers spilled out on to the street.
Some chose to "car surf", while bottles were hurled at police who arrived to shut the party down.
Many more rages have been advertised since then but none got out of hand like the one at Gate Pa.
A party planned for a Bethlehem property was postponed after police found out about it and stepped in.
Sergeant Nigel McGlone, of the Tauranga Police Liquor Licensing Unit, said young people used the internet as well as text messages to avoid detection.
He said the house party scene seemed to have "died a natural death" of late but said police would still to try to find out where parties were planned before they started.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
