Peer pressure and consequences 

I start today with a good catch story. Readers of my last few columns will be aware of the recent increase in youth offending and our call for the community to assist.

Last weekend, a vehicle was stolen from inside a Waipā business in a night-time burglary. Six young people then allegedly took it for a joy ride through Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Ōhaupō and into Hamilton. They failed to stop for police in Hamilton before eventually getting the vehicle bogged off road.

One was apprehended at the scene and the majority of the remaining youth were handed into Cambridge police by their parents soon afterwards. They are being dealt with through the Police Youth Aid Service.  This incident highlights how offending by a young person can quickly escalate from what is initially minor crime – shoplifting and graffiti – to much more serious crime with the potential for real harm and loss to be caused.

It also shows the role that peer pressure can play where young people agree to do things in a group, that they may not have otherwise. We are most appreciative of the role that the families of these youth played in enabling us to hold them to account.

I also want to say how good it is to see local businesses taking preventative action and installing and enhancing CCTV coverage on their premises. Having clear footage of a crime being committed is the best evidence.  When designing your CCTV network, it is always a good idea to position one of the cameras at the front of your business capturing the business frontage, driveway/carpark and/or pavement outside. Where an offender leaves in a vehicle, having the ability to view that vehicle and gain its registration and description is most helpful.

It increases the chance of patrols being able to locate the vehicle as it makes its getaway, and of being able to follow up with investigation at a later stage. Because criminals often swap out number plates, seeing the vehicle make, model and colour as well as the number plate is key.

Footage of the vehicle and its occupants can lead police to obtain further identifying features of the offenders and any associates who may be waiting outside.

Key factors for any CCTV system are knowing how long the footage is stored before being overwritten and having staff onsite who are able to access, review, save and download footage when required. Keep cameras clean and clear of cobwebs and other obstructions and ensure they are working.

I hope the last weekend of the school holidays goes well for those with school aged children. Have fun and stay safe.

More Recent News

Libraries – ‘more than books’

The man helping take Waipā District Libraries’ public services into the age of technology has been nuts about computers since he was about four. Now in his late 20s, Joe Poultney is a self-confessed techno-nerd…

Fears over waste plan

The proposal to build a waste to energy plant in Te Awamutu is the antithesis of all the district stands for, says Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan. O’Regan appeared before an independent Board of Inquiry in…

Five councils take the plunge

Ōtorohanga District Council led the way last week as the first of five councils to decide to hand its drinking and waste water over to a council-controlled water authority. Ōtorohanga councillors voted to join stage…

Brilliant bare necessities

The deft hands of a veterinary surgeon and scientist are the same hands that have crafted the brilliant costumes for the upcoming St Peter’s Catholic School production of The Jungle Book. The three performances in…