As the west coast town of Raglan’s population swells this summer, Waikato Police are urging people to be vigilant to protect themselves and their property this holiday season.
January is the busiest month of the year for police in Raglan. On average Raglan records 122 calls for service a month. This rose to 224 calls for service in January of 2021.
Theft and burglaries typically increase during the holiday period with cars, rental properties and campsites becoming a frequent target for offenders looking to prey on easily accessible items and valuables left unattended.
Nearly half of all victimisations were theft related, with 27 per cent being burglaries and another 20 per cent related to violence offending.
Raglan Constable Alice Cleveland said the best way to protect yourselves from becoming a victim this summer is to lock your homes and vehicles.
If you’re heading down to the beach, take your valuables with you. Don’t leave items like wallets, phones, cash or valuable items in plain sight in vehicles and if possible use a car alarm or steering wheel lock to secure your vehicle.
As more people head to the beaches, traffic on the roads also increases. Police typically see larger volumes of traffic along SH23 which can lead to long queues of traffic.
“We ask motorists to be patient and understand that travel times will be longer. If you notice a lot of traffic behind you pull over when you can do so safely and let other traffic past.”
Parking in Raglan will be an issue with increased traffic. There are only limited parking spaces for people to use in the main streets of town.
Be mindful not to park across driveways, on broken yellow lines, or on parks and reserves without permission.
Waikato Police also deal with higher numbers of family harm and alcohol fuelled disorder over the holiday period. No violence is okay, and if you are experiencing violence please know there is help available by contacting police or a partner agency for assistance.
A liquor ban is also in place for areas around the central Raglan township, reserve areas and Kopua Domain.
With extra police resources being deployed to Raglan, police will be highly visible throughout the summer period. Drivers should also be expected to be stopped anywhere, anytime and breathtested.
Lock your homes, vehicles and don’t leave valuables unattended in cars, boats or campsites.
Be patient on the roads, pull over to let people pass
Parking maybe an issue, try to carpool or drop people off and park. Be mindful not to park across driveways, yellow lines or in reserves without permission
Liquor bans are in place in the main township, reserve areas and Kopua Domain.
Arrive Alive. Stay sober behind the wheel this summer.
