Lights and action but no camera
Delays to proposed security cameras in Tokoroa’s CBD are hampering police efforts to catch vandals.
Tokoroa Police senior sergeant Jason Henderson said 11 windows in the central business district (CBD) have been smashed this week and will likely cost more than $2000 per window to replace.
The vandalism follows a spate of window smashing in Tokoroa in late September 2016 where a group of four teenagers smashed 52 windows at three schools and businesses over two nights.
In early October 2016 a separate group of teenagers were also believed to have been responsible for further broken windows at local schools.
Henderson said it was frustrating for business owners and police were determined to catch those responsible.
‘‘We have apprehended a couple of young males already but they have been walking around in large groups smashing windows so we are asking people who may be out late at night in town, who may see groups of young people walking around, to please call us if they see any suspicious activity so we can hunt them out as this is totally unnecessary,’’ he said.
‘‘It is going to be over to them or their families to pay and they may have to work to pay them off but they will be held to account for what they have done.’’
He said delays to the South Waikato District Council’s plan to install a $60,000 CBD Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Network was also frustrating.
‘‘If they can get the CCTV footage in that will help and police will also be increasing patrols in and around the area so we can apprehend these people,’’ he said.
‘‘These people can’t hide from everyone all the time, they do walk around and they will be seen, it just comes back to the community stepping up to support business owners and doing something about it.’’
South Waikato District Council communications officer Sina Tolovae said the council was determined to get the CCTV network installed as soon as possible.
‘‘The first CCTV camera was installed in December of last year however we were unable to procure additional cameras until recently due to depletion in stock,’’ she said.
Tolovae said the cameras to be installed in Bridge St will be going up in February and the remaining cameras on private buildings shortly after.