German tourists Juliane Quanzt and Nina Pielstick have fallen victim to yet another vicious mugging in broad daylight in New Zealand, this time in the Auckland suburb of Papakura.
The story of the assault, plus the now obligatory PR statement expressing admiration for New Zealand (added in when ever foreign tourists become crime victims) may be read here.
“A group of five men walked past and I asked them to help but they just ignored me. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t want to leave the car in case someone else tried to steal more of our things. I was asking people to help. There were even people sitting in a car two metres away from my friend, they just sat and watched. I think that’s really sad.”
Miss Pielstick was hit and punched and suffered scratches to her face.
Aside from the obvious violence involved what is shocking about this crime is the total disinterest shown by the public, despite the girls screams for help no-one had the courage to intervene in the beating.
Hopefully the police will be able to use CCTV footage to identify the assailant and justice will prevail.
Our condolences go out to Juliane Quanzt and Nina Pielstick, we hope the rest of their stay in New Zealand is without incident. However, we do ask that they help to publicise New Zealand’s crime problem, in the hope that they can help prevent their experience happening to anyone else.
Embassy theft warnings
In March of this year the French, German and Argentine Embassies joined the UK and Australia and warned their nationals about theft in New Zealand. Read blog here.
It appears that the problem of thefts from tourists may be more prevalent than is reported by the NZ media.
The German embassy alone says it gets 1-2 people a week reporting passports stolen from vehicles.
“A number of incidents involving European tourists in Auckland and Rotorua generated media attention over the summer holidays, and last week the Argentine Embassy in Wellington advised tourists in New Zealand to take care with their belongings.
“There has been an increase in the number of reported robberies, especially of cars and camper vans left unprotected, in larger cities and popular tourist areas,” it said in a regular newsletter.
Romina Bocache, head of its consular section, said they decided to include the notice after being contacted by several young people whose belongings had been stolen.
There was no violence involved and it often occurred when people left their vehicles unlocked.
“It’s just to tell them to be careful because here it’s very quiet but you have to lock the doors and have normal precautions…”
The report says that the French and German embassies have also done similar, after their nationals have also fallen victim to New Zealand’s crime problem. Not least that of physical attacks on tourists – the most poignant in most people’s memories is probably the rape and serious assault of a five year old European tourist during a campervan robbery in Turangi.
China and the Netherlands have also previously issued advice to its nationals about crime in New Zealand. More here.
Similar stories involving German tourists in New Zealand:
German tourist mugger only given six months community detention
Two More German Tourists, Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch, Robbed In Northland, New Zealand
German Tourists Robbed In Omapere, Northland
German Tourists Attacked in Paihia
You may also be interested in our other tourist assault stories
Italian tourists robbed on Marae in Jerusalem – twelve people lost $5,000 worth of belongings at a remote marae
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 
Sorry to say that the “If you don’t give it to me, I’ll just take it” and “She looked like she was crazy” are normal. She’ll be right.