Theft a blow to tourists

File photo / NZ Herald

An English tourist was robbed of $10,000 cash and his trousers after hiring a prostitute on South Auckland's Hunters' Corner.

He and a friend had stayed on after the Rugby World Cup and were visiting Kolmar Rd, off Great South Rd in Papatoetoe. The business centre in South Auckland is known as Hunters' Corner or Hookers' Corner.

Sergeant Bruce O'Brien of Counties Manukau Police said the British men picked up two female prostitutes in Hunters' Corner for sex last Friday night.

"As one of the males left the motel room that he was using with the prostitute, it is alleged that she removed his trousers containing a wallet, which contained credit cards, A$4000 ($5200) and $4000.

She then left the motel with the cash, wallet and pants," O'Brien said.

"Our inquiries led us to the wallet, which contained no cash. It had been left at a park in Otara. At this stage the prostitute has not been identified and the two tourists have left the country."

Otara-Papatoetoe local board chairman John McCracken said the incident served as a warning for clients of the corner.

"Clients are being robbed by street workers on regular occasions. I know a man who lives on Sutton Crescent who is constantly having empty wallets discarded in his garden. He has about six of them.

"The clients often don't report these crimes because of the stigma involved, but it happens very regularly."

He was a supporter of a bill which was introduced last year to restrict where street-based sex workers could solicit.

Manurewa MP George Hawkins introduced the Manukau Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill to Parliament in September last year to enable the council to ban street prostitution from certain areas of South Auckland.

Anyone found soliciting or receiving commercial sexual services in no-go zones would face a fine of $2000.

After the Auckland councillors voted to support the bill, it was broadened to include all of Auckland. If passed by Parliament it would have a nationwide impact.

The Local Government and Environment select committee was due to report back on the bill last month.

However, with the approaching election, it has been put on hold until the new Government is formed.