Latest news with #Karapiro
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Effective policing or fading social media trend? The rise and fall of ram raids
A ram raid at a Mobil petrol station in Karapiro in January 2022. Photo: NZ Police Online behaviour experts say the sudden growth and equally swift decline of ram raids in recent years shows a fading online craze - made harder by measures such as bollards and fog cannons. But police said there were a range of factors at play and the offences had seen them change their response practices and speed up their engagement with young offenders and other social agencies. Kapiti store owner Bhavesh Morar said he thought about chucking it all in when his business was struck by a ram raid in 2022. His was one of the nearly one thousand businesses which used a government grant to install bollards, cameras and fog cannons. "After we installed the bollards you can sleep a lot better - knowing that you've got the preventative measures in place. Because, obviously, you feel quite vulnerable . Whether it's your home or whether it's your business. It's the same sort of feeling," Morar said. Police data showed reports of ram raid style burglaries peaked in August 2022 - with 86 incidents that month. Incidents were collated using text searches of incident reports - for terms like 'ram raid' - to identify a set of occurrences that may be described as a ram raid incident. Since 2022 the number has steadily declined. This year there had been an average of nine ram raids a month - levels similar to before the pandemic. Police data shows reports of ram raid style burglaries peaking in August 2022 - with 86 incidents that month - and receding in the following years. Photo: Police/Supplied Professor Ekant Veer of Canterbury University said the majority of people participating in ram raids were between 14 and 17-years-old. He said the age group was perfectly positioned to be influenced by online content glorifying the behaviour. "[The] perfect social media-savvy group who have access to a vehicle - who have access to a lot of time - and who potentially thought 'this is quite cool and we might try this out and get away with it in some form' because that's what social media had effectively told them and taught them," Veer said. Veer said the decline in the crimes most likely represented the novelty wearing off against a backdrop of a heightened awareness of the risks involved. "After something has been cool for a bit - it doesn't stay being cool for long - it will drop away like any other trend. "But there's also significant environmental factors here. There were dairies putting up bollards in front of their stores or even just concrete blocks in front of malls because as soon as a trend takes off it brings attention from people who want to prevent it as well. It became much, much harder," Veer said. A BP petrol station in Wainuiomata was ram-raided using an excavator in May 2022. Photo: RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati Assistant police commissioner Mike Johnson said police employed "a range of strategies and interventions that have all had an effect". "We were able to improve our evidence gathering one, through social media [and] working with retailers. We changed our deployment as well, getting to hotspots [and] using preventative patrolling," Johnson said. Johnson said police's 'Fast Track' programme - put in place in conjunction with Oranga Tamariki in 2022 - helped teams focus on "serious and persistent youth offenders" individually. "Within 24 hours of identifying [or apprehending] an individual having a meeting and [then] having a plan within 48 hours to look at the immediate needs and interventions for that individual. Whether that's prosecutions - and it was in a lot of cases - and what those triggers were and what were the motivations for that individual and how do we have the most effect," Johnson said. He said police needed to be flexible and utilise the partnering agencies best poised to influence young offender's individual circumstances. "What's an effective intervention? It's not one-size-fit-all. It might be whanau focused. It might be family harm interventions in the environment and we can put that picture together through the information that we and other agencies hold," he said. Clinical psychologist Armon Tamatea said a missing part of much of the discussion of ram raids was the experiences of the young people involved. "I think we have a real aversion to listening to young people in this country and we have a real fetish about punishing our young people - hence boot camps and what not - as the go-to strategies with the current political climate. "It's not to excuse the behaviour, of course, but often when young people get into offending it's usually a flag that there's a whole lot of other things going on in the back ground," Tamatea said. CCTV footage of ram raiders at a Newmarket jewellery store. Photo: Supplied / NZ police But Bhavesh Morar said a 'softly, softly' approach risked shifting the focus from the real victims. "A lot of us, we work seven days a week. We work years on end and make a lot of sacrifices to be able to provide for our families. To have to deal with something like this, it gets to the point when it's [almost] tilting you over," Morar said. He said he did feel more secure but he was always on the look out for suspicious vehicles and behaviour. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero], a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- RNZ News
Police condemn 'hurtful' rumours spread over child deaths in Cambridge
Jimmy Schick, who was killed in an ATV crash at Karapiro on 11 May 2025. Photo: Supplied/Windsor Park Stud Waikato Police have asked people to stop sharing untrue theories and rumours following the death of two children in Cambridge last weekend. A 14-year-old girl died after a house fire on Brennan Place, Cambridge on Saturday night. On Sunday, 10-year-old Jimmy Schick died in an all-terrain vehicle crash on French Pass Road outside of Cambridge. Three others were seriously injured in the accident. Waikato Police said it was conducting investigations into both incidents on behalf of the Coroner who would make findings based on the facts. It asked that people refrain from publicly sharing "theories" and "rumours" that are not based on fact. "We have been made aware of some of these theories that are far removed from the facts. It is both unhelpful and hurtful to the grieving families." Sergeant Greg Foster of Cambridge Police said the deaths were tragedies. "Over the two incidents emergency services from our local Cambridge volunteer fire brigade, ambulance, Westpac Rescue Helicopter and local Cambridge Police attended. I am extremely proud of the urgency, professionalism and care shown by everyone in the most difficult of situations. Their actions have undoubtedly saved lives." Foster said the families have expressed their gratitude for the efforts of all that were involved. The Schick family have started a Give a Little page to raise money for emergency services that responded to the crash. "Rod, Oli & Jack who were rescued at the scene would love to personally distribute all funds to the amazing emergency services, Cambridge Fire Brigade, Hato Hone St John Ambulance and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust who were truly amazing in our time of need. A huge thanks also to our local Police who were fantastic," the family said. The family said they have been overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support shown at this extremely difficult time. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Family mourn death of 10-year-old Jimmy Schick in ATV crash on Sunday
Jimmy Schick was killed in an ATV crash at Karapiro on Sunday. Photo: Supplied/Windsor Park Stud The Schick family says it is trying to come to terms with the devastating loss of 10-year-old son, grandson, and brother, Jimmy Schick in an all-terrain vehicle crash in Karapiro on Sunday. Jimmy's brother Oli and his father Rodney remain in hospital. Another child is also still in hospital after the crash on a private property on French Pass Road outside of Cambridge. "Rodney is receiving the best possible care from the dedicated team in the Intensive Care Unit at Waikato Hospital and further updates will be shared as information becomes available," the statement from Windsor Park Stud said. "He is in a stable condition with a long recovery expected. Oli is recovering well with support from the amazing team in the children's ward," it said. Oli (l), Jimmy (c) and their father Rodney Schick. Photo: Supplied/Windsor Park Stud The family expressed appreciation for the outpouring of love, support and concern they had received. "In incredibly sad circumstances, the family kindly asks for privacy as they come to terms with the devastating loss of their dearly loved Jimmy." Windsor Park Stud has bred and raised thoroughbred racehorses for more than 40 years on a farm a few minutes' drive from the township of Cambridge on Kaipaki Road and on three other farms in the area. It is owned by Nelson and Sue Schick but their son Rodney managed the day-to-day operations on the farm. Waipa mayor Susan O-Regan told the Waikato Times that the Schicks were a well-known family locally. "This will ripple very, very heavily through the community on a lot of levels," she said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
12-05-2025
- RNZ News
Child died when ATV rolled over in Waikato
A Philips Search and Rescue Trust helicopter Photo: Supplied/ Philips Search and Rescue Trust Polie have confirmed the person who died in an ATV crash in rural Waikato on Sunday was a child. Two other children were injured and hospitalised after the ATV rolled on a private property in Karapiro - one had serious injuries and another had moderate injuries. The police said both children were now in a stable condition. A man remained in hospital in a critical condition. The police said they were providing support to the family at the centre of the tragic event.
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- RNZ News
ATV roll-over leaves one dead, three injured
The Waikato Philips Search and Rescue helicopter (file photo). Photo: Supplied/ Philips Search and Rescue Trust One person is dead and three have been injured after an ATV rolled in rural Waikato this afternoon. Police said emergency services were called to a farm on French Pass Road, in Karapiro, about 2:30pm on Sunday. Hato Hone St John said three patients were airlifted to Waikato Hospital. One person was in a critical condition, another was seriously injured, and a third person had moderate injuries. Fire and Emergency confirmed two rescue helicopters were at the scene. Firefighters had responded to the incident, working to remove people trapped under the the ATV, and to set up a safe landing zone for the rescue helicopters. "Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are under way," said police. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
