Concertgoers at earlier gig claim parking scam

‘Still furious’ Ed Sheeran fans allege similar ruse used at Foo Fighters gig

Ed Sheeran fans who attended his Auckland show last year claim they were duped by a man in a hi-vis vest offering $20 for private parking, only to find their cars were towed.

They claim there are striking similarities to last weekend’s parking fiasco where a man sold fake parking on Neilson St in Penrose to people attending the Foo Fighters concert at Mt Smart Go Media Stadium.

About 10 people paid a person holding a sign to park at the front of a charity that supports children in need on Neilson St.

All those who parked in the private carpark believed the payment was a legitimate arrangement but found themselves hundreds of dollars out of pocket when they had to free their vehicles from a towing firm.

Concertgoers at Ed Sheeran’s show on February 10 last year at Eden Park in Auckland say they had an almost identical experience.

One Ed Sheeran fan, who did not want to be named, said while she and a friend noticed a man holding a white hand-painted sign saying ”$20 parking” who was ushering interested people into the nearby Kingsland VTNZ carpark. She claims the man was wearing a hi-vis vest.

“They would’ve worked in a team, there were maybe two other guys further down New North Rd getting people’s attention with a similar sign and directing them to the VTNZ carpark.

“I paid $20 cash, my friend paid $25 bank transfer,” she said.

“When we came out of the concert, my car along with what we reckon were 10 other cars had disappeared. I contacted police who advised it was towed and they directed us to Supercity Towing Limited where I chatted with a few others in the same situation,” she said.

She claims it cost her around $350 to release her car.

“I am still furious about it.” VTNZ declined to comment. Foo Fighters fan David Pasco found himself in a similar position on Saturday night, after parking his car at a charity on Neilson St.

“I came back and the carpark was completely empty.”

Pasco noticed a sign on the carpark’s fence from Amalgamated Car Parking Services, stating the carpark was private property and for authorised parking only.

After realising his car had been towed, Pasco contacted the parking agency, which informed him he would have to pay $385 to get it back.

“I thought I was doing pretty good, paying $100 for a ticket to a great show which cost $500,” Pasco said.

Another victim, Greg Christensen, earlier told the Herald he chose to park in the lot, thinking it was legitimate, as he thought the funds may have been going to the charity.

“I had to laugh when, after the euphoria of an amazing Foo Fighters show, the realities of life quickly kicked in. I had a dozen or so newfound friends [the other victims] to bond with,” Christensen said.

The man who allegedly sold fake parking to people attending the Foo Fighters concert was caught on camera and his image has been provided to the Herald.

Police said they were investigating the alleged scam but fraud was a “complex” matter to investigate.

“While a photo of a person of interest in this matter has been supplied to police, at this stage there are no further lines of inquiry. We understand the victims’ frustrations over what has happened. As it stands, the matter has been filed pending any new information that may come forward,” a police spokesperson said.

The chief executive of the charity that occupied the premises with the parking lot told the Herald they were distressed by the deception, involving “an individual not associated with our organisation, illegally selling our car parks without our permission”.

The director of stadiums at Auckland Council’s facilities arm, Ta¯taki Auckland Unlimited, James Parkinson said the incident was an “unfortunate reminder” of the need for patrons to verify they have the right to park on private property.