A party of Italian tourists on a trip down the Wanganui River experienced a cultural exchange of different kind when they stopped to visit a Marae in the remote hamlet of Jerusalem, New Zealand. The group was robbed as they attended a dinner on the evening of 25 November. As you’ll see from the map above, even the Google van didn’t make it to this remote location.
“Twelve people travelling as part of a group of 48 Italian tourists staying at a Jerusalem marae on Sunday night had $5000 worth of gear taken by thieves.
As the group were attending a dinner about 7pm when the thieves snuck into the area where personal belongings were stored…”NZ Herald
The group left the marae soon after and returned to Wellington in time for the Hobbit premiere on Wednesday.
As is the case in most crimes involving tourists in New Zealand (and there are many of them) New Zealanders were as (more?) worried about their international reputation as they were about the plight of the tourists. Robberies are getting to be commonplace and tourists are seen as easy targets.
Nga Hononga Marae chairman Ron Hough said he was embarrassed by the behaviour of those responsible.
“Not only has this now happened, but it has tarnished the good name of Jerusalem and its people and we may now struggle to attract further tour groups to the town.”
Mr Hough admitted he had taken the crime very hard…
“We’re pretty sure the crime was done by outsiders though and it’s such a bad look for New Zealand tourism. We just don’t need stuff like this … I mean 48 overseas tourists, 12 of them get ripped off it just doesn’t look good at all”
I have had stuff stolen on a marae, though got it back a couple of weeks later as it was strongly suspected who the thief was and pressure was brought to bear. It was a middle aged man and local resident, closely associated with the marae. And a rellie too, though not close. He also stole a LOT of food brought in for a do, very early one morning – I saw him and he told me it was for his pigs. Yeah right. Entitled? Yep.
Vicious Sex Attack on 5 Year Old Belgian Tourist – little girl severely injured in a frenzied attack as she lay sleeping in a campervan in Turangi.
Austrian tourists mugged in Palmerston North
Australian honeymooners lose it all two tourists robbed near Milford Sound
Te Anau Troubled By Tourist Attacks -drunken youths attack visitors in Te Anau
Swiss Campers’ Tyres Slashed In Kaikoura
Chilean Tourist Robbed, Loses Life’s Work robbed in a motel near Auckland international airport
“New Zealand is a wonderful country, but be careful as it’s not so safe” – Swiss campervan tourist loses everything in Whangarei
Honeymoon Couple Lose Precious Photos, No ‘Gold Medal’ British couple robbed outside of Auckland zoo
Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka man stabbed in a Motueka backpackers
English tourist mugged in Gisborne female tourist punched and handbag stolen in a street attack, delaying her departure from NZ
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson man attacked on Nelson cathedral steps by three teenagers
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland
A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia, Northland
Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei, Northland
Two German tourists attacked in Paihia, Northland
Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland whilst sandboarding
Asian woman, (probably Japanese) age 22, raped in her room by 2 teenagers in a home invasion in Opotiki, Bay of Plenty
Three Chinese tourists attacked and robbed at Te paki, 90 Mile Beach, Northland, by two men they’d stopped to help
French tourist Anthony Cressend, beaten and robbed at campsite in Ahipara, Northland
Two Australian tourists robbed at knifepoint for their holiday money in Te Puke, SE of Tauranga.
Japanese tourist age 23 (female) kidnapped, robbed and assaulted in Rotorua by four men
French tourist (male) raped at gunpoint near Opotiki, Bay of Plenty
American peace corp twins Adam and Alex Rahmlow, 21 were robbed of all their possessions by a man they tried to help in Amberley, Christchurch.
Dutch couple raped and robbed on a campsite in Tuatapere, NW of Invercargill, whilst on their honeymoon. (Dutch govt. issued a travel warning about NZ)
Two Koreans were attacked and robbed of their possession which included a laptop computer by a man claiming to be a gang member in Blenheim.
British tourist worker sexually assaulted near Hururu Falls, Northland when she was dragged off a walking track.
Canadian tourist Jeremie Kawerninski, kidnapped, assaulted and robbed in Lower Hutt, Wellington
Dutch couple robbed and sexually attacked Haruru Falls, Northland whilst on honeymoon.
Two British women robbed and raped in their campervan at Tokomaru Bay, north of Gisborne.
Japanese tourist subjected to a prolonged and brutal sex attack in a communal area of a backpacker’s hostel in Turangi, Taupo.
Scottish woman Karen Aim brutally murdered and robbed by a youth in Taupo.
German woman Birgit Brauer murdered near New Plymouth.
Korean man Jae Hyeon Kim decapitated with a spade by white supremacist.
Japanese tourist robbed at gunpoint in Oamaru.
Irish cycle tourist Paul Mack bashed, robbed and urinated on throughout his NZ tour.
6 English and Danish tourists attacked and stabbed in Cashel Mall, Christchurch for having “foreign accents.”
Irish man Robby O’Brien beaten up in Westport.
Russian couple Denis Khotchenko and Lera Nesterova beaten and robbed in Milford, Auckland
English woman knifed and sexually assaulted in a toilet block at an A1 motor camp in Kaikoura
American campers Patrick Dykstra and Kelsey McGinley beaten and robbed at Whangarei Falls, Northland.
Australian tourist sexually assaulted on a street in broad daylight in Nelson.
Australian tourist subjected to a sex attack by Maia Crawford Rongonui whilst walking home to a backpackers in Christchurch.
Canadian tourist left with a fractured skull outside Silver Fern backpackers in Taupo.
Dutch tourist beaten and robbed at Lake Rotorua.
British man Paul Speakman and his young son beaten and robbed in a campervan at Athenree Gorge, Katikati.
Chinese woman attacked for speaking Chinese on a train approaching Petone.
Scottish visitor Stuart Martin who was left in a coma and with a boot print on his face after a street bashing in Taradale, Christchurch.
E2NZ.org 
Maybe the Google van didn’t make it all the way to the end because it was tapu unless blessed by a kaumatua?
“Cultural reasons” have stopped many land surveys from being completed to provide accurate ground-level maps.
In which case it’s only people from the marae who are likely to be in the locality?
There was another tourist that had their car broken into, and possessions stolen. When things like this happen all the time, how can the authorities keep saying “bad look”? This is nornal and to be expected. There needs to be travelers advisories put out about NZ. Instead, there are promotions FOR travel to NZ.