Hamilton's northern suburbs hit by car crime

Brielle Breanne's car back windows were smashed in Rototuna last night. Photo / Brielle Breanne

Hamilton's Rototuna and Flagstaff suburb has been hit by a wave of car crime overnight, with some residents waking up to smashed car windows and stolen valuables.

The Residents of Rototuna Facebook Group has erupted into outrage, with at least four car windows smashed, a wallet stolen and a security camera torn down.

It is the most recent spate of crime in the suburb that has been plagued for the past year by a surge in criminal activities.

Hamilton City Councillor, and former police officer James Casson said he has spoken with the police who are aiming to provide more community patrols for the area.

"The police are very aware of the explosion of crime in the area, and it only takes one small group of two or three people, and I am presuming at this stage it would be youth who are committing these crimes," Mr Casson said.

He said that they are also trying to increase the number of volunteer community patrollers going into the north to keep an eye on the suburb at night; however, he discouraged acts of vigilantism.

"I am against people getting their own groups together and going out and doing things; it's fine to keep an eye out, but if things go a little too far then they will be held criminally accountable and I would hate to see good people get in trouble because of a few idiots in our neighbourhood.

He believes the groups have targeted the northern part of the city due to the suburb's affluence.

"They believe they are going to get more. A lot of nice cars are out on the streets."

Mr Casson also said that he was working on delivering a petition to Government to reopen the Flagstaff community police station as a base for police patrollers in the northern suburbs.

"Labour did promise they would have the community police stations at the end of their term, and I want to hold them to account."

The police ask that any car break-ins be reported to them on the new non-emergency phone number 105.