[Pookeko]

Oh my goodness!

I've had a removals company chap come around to quote my move out to NZ and he was telling me that NZers view Brits as uptight when they get to NZ because you don't have to keep locking your doors etc in NZ.

Please don't think there is no crime in NZ and that you can leave your car and house unlocked and come back to find everything still there!

You more than likely can in rural areas (and we have done in the past), but I wouldn't in the city. So what if your neighbours think you're uptight, it's unlikely to be them that's stealing from you!!

For sure things are more relaxed in NZ but sensible precautions are surely always advisable!! And though I haven't lived in NZ for 7 years but I don't think it's suddenly become perfect in the 7 years that I've been away! :laugh

I'm really not trying to scare anyone, just hoping everyone knows to be sensible lol. :)

[K&CS]

I totally agree and I don't get this 'where we're from we can leave the doors unlocked' lark - wherever you're from. It just takes one opportunist wherever you are to find you've been burgled or worse! Surely taking a couple of minutes to lock your house/car and make sure no windows are left open is a very simple and sensible precaution wherever in the world you live!

[kiwidebs]

We live in Auckland and I don't know anyone who leaves their doors unlocked (apart from me leaving the garage door open for several hours the other day cos I forgot to push the automatic garage door thingy cos I was arguing with the children as we left.....oops :o .....thankful we live off the main road!!)

NZ is like anywhere, take care of your belongings, don't leave obvious valuables visable in your car, don't leave cars or houses unlocked, get insurance :nice1 .

[Kim39]

Having been brought up a certain way of, "don't trust anyone but yourself, and then be doubtful mode" i have to admit when we first arrived i would tell the kids to hide things out of sight in the car when we were away from it, just as i would have done in the UK,but my friend was telling me don't be stupid this is NZ and things like this don't happen.......yeah right!!!!! i won't take the chance, better to be safe than sorry in my book. I will forever be on my guard, as it only takes a second.


Kim

[Vladimir]

I have just read a story:

...Denis Khotchenko and his girlfriend were violently beaten with a metal bat, their attackers asked "Have you ever met a real gangster?"...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=124&objectid=10487277
Is it a common situation in Auckland?

[Red Devil]

... that's very worrying. I don't expect New Zealand to be complete crime/theft/murder free, however these sort of attacks are very concerning especially after the murder of the women in Taupo last week... maybe we should hold onto our rural farmhouse in France afterall.

[Vladimir]

I have just read a story:

...Denis Khotchenko and his girlfriend were violently beaten with a metal bat, their attackers asked "Have you ever met a real gangster?"...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=124&objectid=10487277
Is it a common situation in Auckland?

Is it a usual situation of shocking for Newsealanders?

[sweetpea]

Is it a usual situation of shocking for Newsealanders?

My perception could well be determined by differing levels of media coverage in the two countries I've lived in (US and New Zealand), but it seems like there is a lot more random violence, especially murder, in NZ than the US. For instance, living in Oakland, California, which IIRC spent a few years as the murder capitol of the US, I didn't get the sense that murders occurred randomly - it was usually drug or gang-related, and among people who knew each other. Here, it seems like murders tend to be more senseless. And these seem to happen a *lot* considering NZ has a population of only 5 million.

[dharder]

My perception could well be determined by differing levels of media coverage in the two countries I've lived in (US and New Zealand), but it seems like there is a lot more random violence, especially murder, in NZ than the US.

There is no country in what generally counts as the 'western civilised world' that has a murder rate higher than the US, by far.

But I find crime rates and the perceptions of it to be largely a personal thing, tbh. I felt a lot safer in East London than I feel in East Auckland, and I have no idea what the crime statistics say about that.

I don't get the impression at all that there are more 'random' cases of violence except for a few cases of recently, which probably wouldn't even be reported anymore in the US, and have felt more 'at risk' of random violence living in the US.

A lot of this really is perception.

Oh, and I lock my car, I lock the house, most people here in the street have burglar alarms. I use that steering wheel lock thingy that I used in London as well, which is always met with great amusement. But I only have that one car, and I'd like to keep it :)

Although someone pointed out to me today that car theft here is lower because there really isnt' as much of a market as there is in Europe for stolen cars and no country close enough to shift them to.

Daniela

[sweetpea]

I didn't mean to say that NZ was more violent than the US, sorry if it sounded that way. I do think, though, that there is a lot higher percentage of violence directed at strangers (vs. people in an opposing gang, or a drug deal gone wrong, or among family or friends).

[Moorf]

I think that most of NZs crime makes it to the headlines - whether it's a granny mugging or a senseless act of violence as per last weeks bashings - because it isn't that common an occurance - especially when tourists are involved (few big cases in the news since we've been here) - probably because NZ is still touted as a "wander around the roads with your thumb out" kinda place when, in reality, that's probably a bit of a dated view. The scum of society lives here, too, I'm afraid.

However, I personally feel safer here than we did in London, and probably as safe as we did in Perthshire. It's a feeling for us - one I'm not sure (and don't care) whether the stats support it - but it doesn't matter, we feel safer (and I don't mean that in a naive fingers in ear "la la la la we can't see it" way.)

I'd also add that much of the crime here is gang or drugs related - P is a huge problem and so is car crime (except instead of shipping them out of the country for profit they tend to bash them up, burn them out and push them in to rivers/gorges/embankments. :( )

[dharder]

However, I personally feel safer here than we did in London, and probably as safe as we did in Perthshire. It's a feeling for us - one I'm not sure (and don't care) whether the stats support it - but it doesn't matter, we feel safer (and I don't mean that in a naive fingers in ear "la la la la we can't see it" way.)

Yes, that is exactly what I meant, except I feel the other way round, and don't think (and don't know if) the crime statistics support it. That's why I reckon that the whole crime and safety thing is often in the eye of the beholder...

Daniela

[Sam B]

Actually, burglary here in Cambridge seems very high, and we are far more careful here than we were in Cornwall, (rural UK). There are at least 3 burglaries per week since we arrived and at least 3 in a year in our street.

[Moorf]

Crikey - how big is Cambridge, Sam?

[Sam B]

Not all that big really. The local paper has been saying it's a 'spate' of burglaries for a while now, but it's been going on for ages. Too many quite rich, showy houses with plasma t.v.s etc. I think. But makes me nervous anyway. Perhaps a bit smaller than Ashburton for comparison.

[ourquest]

There is no country in what generally counts as the 'western civilised world' that has a murder rate higher than the US, by far.


As an example to make most of you feel a little safer, South Africa is a strange mixture of western civilisation and African 3rd world, and has a crime statistic that is a bit high, and alledgedly under-reported. Local newspapers (I am referring to those dedicated to suburbs of cities, for example) generally have stories of murders every week (usually associated with theft of some kind) and these stories certainly do not make national news. Not surprising since the stats tell us that there are more than 50 murders, no, not per month, or week, but per day in South Africa. So to immigrants coming from SA, New Zealand is likely to seem safe, although stories we've read about random acts of violence are as saddening as they would be anywhere. But we do feel that the NZ police will be on top of each case and so their occurrence should not increase too much in the future.

[Moorf]

Not all that big really. The local paper has been saying it's a 'spate' of burglaries for a while now, but it's been going on for ages. Too many quite rich, showy houses with plasma t.v.s etc. I think. But makes me nervous anyway. Perhaps a bit smaller than Ashburton for comparison.

That's quite a spate!

I've just looked in our local paper to see what the week's crimes were in the metropolis of Darfield.. it's quite hilarious really.. this one made me giggle...

"More annoying, unsightly and expensive to rectify tagging of Trinity Hall was also done this week. Police would in particular like to speak to the person using the tag RESKO (or anyone who knows who they are)." Wonder if RESKO dropped by!

The other crime was parking outside school so busses can't park - Darfield residents have been warned that there will be "hard ticketing"...

:laugh

But on the whole there so seem to be lots of burglaries reported in the main papers.. more so than I remember in the U.K.. but again, is that cos they're reported more here? I do feel that they "catch" more people here... (not many places to run, I guess! :laugh )

[Smiler]

On Zm news all afternoon they've been headlining the crime of the century!

A spate of thefts in Darfield -someone is stealing solar garden lights!

I'm cooking dinner so couldn't find it, but it's here somewhere http://www.malvernnews.co.nz/site/images/stories/january_18th_2008_pages_1-6.pdf

[Moorf]

Here it is for those who don't want to wait 24hrs for the .pdf to load!

"On Sunday night around midnight, there was a spate of
mainly garden solar light thefts and some other ornaments,
from nine different properties around Darfield township. In
only a couple of cases witnesses heard a loud car, and in
one other complaint the vehicle seen was possibly a dirty
Skyline. No real offender descriptions other than being
described as young 'skaties’, with one described as having
an armful of lights in one hand and trying to hold his pants
up with his other hand as he ran! Probably out of towners!
If anyone has any additional information, or notices a
property in their travels with a collection of lights, please
contact the Darfield Police."

Brilliant!

(and yes, I have just checked to see if my lights are still outside!)

[Smiler]

Thanks Helen! :nice1

[willsken]

We have a great one in our local paper. It's called "thumbs up, thumbs down." It's in the paper every week and it always makes me giggle, reading it. Example from this week.

Thumbs down to the person who stole my jewelry box off my sink bench. I know who you are, so please return it.

Thumbs up and sincere thanks to the concerned customer for the anonymous letter advising us of their observations. Your comments are appreciated and action to remedy the situation has taken place.

:D

[Tia Maria]

Is it a usual situation of shocking for Newsealanders?

Vladimir - I live on the North Shore and I can tell you everyone was shocked as it was an unusual incident for that area of NZ (thefts from cars, boy racers and drunks disturbing the peace are more usual).

However, as with all countries there are neighbourhoods known for having more crime than others.

Cheers

Tia

[Tia Maria]

Our local crime reports are quite funny, one I remember in the local paper started with:

Week 1: Suspicious character has been seen looking at a garden statue at XXX Road, please be vigilant.

Week 2: Well, unfortunately someone has stolen the garden statue

Week 3: We've caught the man who stole the garden statue but warn people to not leave metal pipes lying around as several pieces of metal pipe have been stolen in the last week.

Well as I'm sure you can imagine we were on the edge of our seats for weeks with that exciting episode and I promptly ran out and secured all my metal pipes just in case.

Cheers

Tia

[Sam B]

Ha ha, yes Cambridge has its fair share of hilarious non-crimes too.

[benandclare]

The milk depot had a spate of break ins a while back and the local police set up a surveillance camera was set up opposite in a bungalow..

A few days later a suspect was caught on camera and identifeid by the local police and duly arrested after a search at his house which revealed a bath full of milk, well it was still in the bottles.........perhaps they had a Cleopatra complex:D

But what I think it proves is that peole here on the whole are public spirited and are keen to help the police in their fight against crime and where a particulary nasty crime has occured it does only seem like days before they have the culprit :clap

[Moorf]

Joking aside, I didn't want to end this thread trivialising crime in NZ.

Crime is here, and there is gang and drug related crime too. Petty crime/burglary happens rurally as well as in the urban centres. However, I've found that rural areas are relatively untouched compared with urban and that, overall, I'm not hearing so much of it on a daily basis on the news or in the papers.

[constablechuck]

Having been a cop in the U.S. and currently working in the "criminal justice" sector here in NZ here are my observations.

The crime rate "per capita" in NZ is nearly twice that of the U.S., that being said it all depends on where in the U.S. or NZ you live, the crime in LA, NO and Miami for instance is much worse than anywhere in NZ, however if you move from small town Kansas to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch then you will certainly encounter more crime.

NZ is for the most part a wonderful place, the government tries to be very politically correct with it's policies and holds itself out as a good international citizen (which it is), however the political correctness has gotten way out of hand, criminals are viewed as victims of circumstance and victims are viewed as insignificant because of the "offender focused" justice system.

The result is that there is not much detterent to commiting crime in NZ, the police in NZ are discouraged from being aggressive like their American counterparts and crime victims are discouraged from "self defense", in most states in the U.S. it is legal to use lethal force to protect yourself and your home, here in NZ you can expect to be prosecuted if you do.

Criminals in America don't respect the law anymore than the ones in NZ, the difference is that most fear the consequences of being caught. There is a lot of minor crime in NZ such as car theft, graffiti ect..., however violent crime rates have risen significantly in the past 5 years and the gangs have gotten out of control.

We lived in Linwood and there was an attempted break in at the flat next to ours and one day a boy was stabbed around the corner, we lived in New Brighton and had to park on the street, the window on my car was smashed one night, another night someone broke the door locks on both my and my wifes cars, now we live in Rolleston and have had no problems, were quite happy here.

It all depends on where in NZ you live.

[IanW99]

Here it is for those who don't want to wait 24hrs for the .pdf to load!

"On Sunday night around midnight, there was a spate of
mainly garden solar light thefts and some other ornaments,
from nine different properties around Darfield township. In
only a couple of cases witnesses heard a loud car, and in
one other complaint the vehicle seen was possibly a dirty
Skyline. No real offender descriptions other than being
described as young 'skaties’, with one described as having
an armful of lights in one hand and trying to hold his pants
up with his other hand as he ran! Probably out of towners!
If anyone has any additional information, or notices a
property in their travels with a collection of lights, please
contact the Darfield Police."

Brilliant!

(and yes, I have just checked to see if my lights are still outside!)

This story actually made it onto the main breakfast news for NZ this morning :confused:

Ian

[Moorf]

Knew Darfield would hit the headlines sooner or later!

Did they do a reconstruction with a skatie running down the road holding his pants up? :laugh

[IanW99]

Knew Darfield would hit the headlines sooner or later!

Did they do a reconstruction with a skatie running down the road holding his pants up? :laugh

No, they made some comment about they were looking for someone who was making a landing strip :D

Ian

[Moorf]

:laugh Drat, wished I'd seen it!