Queenstown tourist thefts

Press, 28 December 1987, Page 5

Queenstown tourist thefts

PA Invercargill Visitors to the South Island’s main tourist resort are being burgled at such a rate that Queenstown’s biggest hotel says it is considering hiring an in-house security patrol. The general manager of the Lakeland Regency, Mr Ken Page, said he is looking at using a security firm to patrol the bounds of the 181-room hotel, similar to security patrols at European hotels. Seven tourists were victims of burglars in Queenstown in a recent week. The worst loss reported was that of a Japanese tourist, who had about $4OOO in cash and

traveller’s cheques stolen from his hotel room between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on a Saturday. Mr Page said theft from tourists was “definitely a very serious problem.” “If it doesn’t improve shortly, we will have to employ a security firm to work within the hotel,” he said. Management staff already made three checks each night and night porters checked fire exits and hotel corridors three times. Constable Gavin Jensen, of Queenstown, said he believed tourists had to be encouraged to place valuables in the hotel safes.