Lock your car doors in NZ, from Sensible Sentencing Trust’s FB page.

It has taken a while but the Sensible Sentencing Trust has finally noticed that car jacking is becoming a big problem in New Zealand. This is an issue E2NZ.org has been talking about for some years: we like our readers to be street savvy.

If you’re planning to visit New Zealand, or intend living there, our advice is to drive a car with automatic door locking. Ask for it specifically when looking for a car, don’t become another statistic. New Zealand isn’t as safe as you think.

Update:

Woman, child carjacked by armed men 13 August 2013

“A woman and young child were carjacked in Manurewa by two armed men who had just robbed a sports bar and forced the woman to drive them away from the crime scene.

Police said two men entered the Sports Bar on Great South Road near the Southmall shopping complex on Monday morning…” source

Related content from E2NZ.org

Carjackings, Grand Theft Auto? (January 2010)

Carjackings in NZ aren’t unusual by any means* (they’ve been called NZ’s “new home invasion”) but their frequency seems is increasing at an alarming rate. Is it a protracted craze arising from playing a certain type of video game and if so should games like that be banned, or is this just an unwillingness to call a cab when there’s no lift home? The problem is that it’s got to the point where the average citizen really does has to drive round with their doors locked and keep the engine revving at traffic lights

Yesterday an unfortunate female motorist’s car was stolen at knife point in Mangatawhiri and driven 40kms north towards Auckland until forced to stop by police who were in hot pursuit (link)

On Wednesday two women were sitting in their car at the McDonalds in Bader Drive, Mangere at 2.30am when a man threatened them with a gun, forced them from the car and drove off (link)

On Saturday there were two separate incidents in the coastal community of the Hibiscus Coast. One at the Peninsula Golf Club when local resident Peter Braithwaite was forced to hand over his keys at knife point whilst unloading his clubs for an early morning round of golf. Police later caught the thieves who were said to be “from Northland”. Minutes earlier another man was threatened with a man wielding a crow bar outside the McDonalds in Orewa. (link)

What can you do to avoid becoming a helpless victim of carjacking in NZ? take a look at this advice from the US Department of State. It offers tips on avoidance, and what to do if you become a victim and what to do after the attack. Link

* See also:
Carjacking – the new home invasion: ” Carjacking cases are on the increase in New Zealand and police have issued an extraordinary warning telling drivers to lock car doors, keep windows up, keep bags and valuables out of sight and to be extra vigilant while idle at traffic lights.
Four carjackings in Auckland since July
Man tasered after Auckland car-jacking
Roadside samaritan has her car stolen at knifepoint
Elderly woman bashed in carjacking
One arrest after knifepoint carjacking
Police reports brutal carjacking in New Lyn
Masterton carjacking
Public urged to delete carjacking email
“I witnessed a carjacking!” GP Forum

More recently

Pukekohe Kids Hijack Car At Gunpoint, “Get out of the car bitch” (Oct 2012)

Another Armed Car-Jacking, this time in New Plymouth (Dec 2013)

Another Car Jacking, This Time in Opunake (Dec 2013)

Female Body Found in Wellington Harbour and Car Jacking in North Shore, Auckland (Dec 2013)