Holiday thefts

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 16

Holiday thefts

Stories of how thefts have ruined holidays used to be brought back to New Zealand by people who had travelled overseas to countries Where standards of public honesty were lower than those familiar to them in New Zealand. Reports of car robberies in day light,, swiftly .and expertly conducted in a busy street, were • not uncommon;. Stories can now be told, too frequently, about holidays in New Zealand itself. This summer has seen a disturbing number of thefts from cars left parked in remote areas by people off tramping, climbing or shooting in the Canterbury back, country. The number of thefts from motels, sometimes even while the occupants were sleeping, seems to be increasing.

New Zealanders on holiday in their own country will have to begin to think about the kind of precautions that people on holiday in other countries have long been accustomed to taking. Overseas tourists will, sadly, have to be warned not to put too much-trust in any reputation New Zealand may have for honesty. The precautions to be .taken against thefts from motels and hostels are reasonably obvious and likely to be reasonably effective in thwarting sneak thieves. Keeping valuables out of unattended rooms and sleeping with guarded windows and locked doors may be all that is necessary to defeat the thieves.

The problem posed by thefts from cars left in remote spots is not-so easily solved. Trampers, climbers, shooters and skiers may simply have to face the fact that they can no longer leave .vehicles unattended without risk. This marks a small, but not insignificant, Ipss. It was once a great convenience to be able to leave a car almost anywhere in the back country without having to worry about it or its contents. Those planning to spend time away from the road will, in future, have to think seriously about alternative travel arrangements. They may have to be dropped off and collected by friends, or use public transport, or they may have to park in settlements where unattended cars can be watched. When no reasonable alternative travel arrangements are possible, those who must leave cars unattended in remote places can probably reduce the likelihood of their cars being attacked by thieves. The more common is the practice of leaving nothing of value in vehicles, the less will be the temptation to break into cars.

Many will think that it is a sad state of affairs that people have to abandon a casual, unconcerned approach to the security of property while on holiday. So it is; though taking security measures must be the best method of discouraging the trend in thefts.