Thinking about emigrating to Hamilton because it’s a safe place to raise kids, or maybe because Auckland is too expensive and Hamilton looks like a good second choice? Be careful, do your research properly. There’s a reason why only 153,100 people live there, despite its proximity to the country’s largest city.

First you should know that E2NZ.org has written many times about Hamilton’s crime problem, the town seems to be becoming more lawless every day.

Hamilton is not that different to any other small town in New Zealand, with an under-resourced police service, it’s just that its proximity to Auckland means that its crimes are more likely to get noticed and written about by Auckland’s mainstream media (MSM). Because of that we use it as a bellwether for small-town crime in New Zealand.

Nevertheless, yesterday’s attack by a 37 year old man on a 14 year old boy was alarming. It took place just after 6pm in Garden Place, Hamilton (photo above). It appears that a group of people were huffing petrol from a plastic bag in the central city area (something of a crime hotspot) when there was an altercation.

CCTV footage from the scene showed a 14-year-old boy was involved in a fight with one man, who was with two other men.

Mr Cranshaw said during the altercation the boy was doused in petrol, and also fell and injured his arm.

The boy was later taken to Waikato Hospital where his injury was treated and he was decontaminated due to being doused in petrol…source

Police have appealed to parents to keep an eye on their children.

An hour and a half later, there was a “possible knife fight” in the same location –  Garden Place.

Police were called to Garden Place about 7.30pm after reports of a fight, senior sergeant Stephen Ambler said.

“We’re not sure exactly what’s happened yet but a man has got some injuries that are consistent with a knife wound,” he said. “But, in saying that, I can’t confirm 100 per cent that that is what happened.” The wounds were on the man’s arm and he had been taken to Waikato Hospital.

Police were speaking to witnesses and a group of three young people were helping with their enquiries.

 

Meth Lab in Car Boot

Today police had to cordon off part of Storey Ave at the interesection with Te Rapa Road after a crashed car was found to have a meth lab in its boot. A Holden Commodore had crashed through a fence into a the yard of a commercial business in the small hours of this morning. A white mist was seen coming from its boot as the vehicle was being cleared later in the day.

Te Rapa Rd was reduced to one lane earlier today to allow the Auckland-based Clandestine Laboratory Team to examine the vehicle.

Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Patterson, of Hamilton CIB, said police found equipment, chemicals and substances associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine in the car… more here

On Saturday 10 January, police charged a 16 year old male with Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Violation and Assault with Intent to Injure after an incident which occurred at approximately midnight the previous night in Mahoe Street.

On 19 Dec a 25 year old man appeared in court charged with the indecent assault of a woman at Hamilton Lake (Hamilton Lake, above, has a reputation as an unsafe place) in May:

On May 22 the 33-year-old woman was walking around the Hamilton Lake area about midday when she was approached by the man.

“What was particularly callous about this incident was that it occurred in broad daylight. The man approached the woman asking for the time and then followed her before making his attack,” said Loughrin… source

On 17 Dec a 18 year old Indian man was hospitalised after he was robbed and beaten by three men on Wairere Drive about 9.30pm. Two of his attackers were around 16 years old, the other was aged 22.

Also last month, a man was beaten severely by a “group of teens” (the NZ MSM can’t use the word gang any more) in a random attack in Clyde Park . Dogs were used to track three youths, who were then arrested.

The situation got so bad recently that there were calls for rate payers to fund private police to patrol their streets (read Hamilton, Bellwether for Breakdown of Law and Order in NZ and Ratepayer funded private cops are being considered as a solution to spiralling anti-social behaviour in central Hamilton).

Related articles about crime in Hamilton after this article was published (updated)

Woman seriously injured in drive-by mugging (31 May 2015)

“A woman was left with a broken collarbone and head injuries following a late night assault in the Hamilton last night. The victim suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital after she was assaulted by a man trying to steal her handbag. Detective Andrew Hawke said the offender had approached the victim from behind in a vehicle. “As she was walking along, a car pulled up next to her and a man got out and approached her from behind,” he said.”

Teen fights off abduction (14 Feb 2015) A 19 year old woman was the victim of an attempted abduction as she waited for a life home on Valentine’s Day. She was traumatised by the attack.

Fight prompts call to douse violence at Wellington Street Beach (2 Feb 2015 ) – “After a brawl broke out at Hamilton’s most popular swimming spot, one long-time user says it’s high time council upgraded the area. Tania Williams, of Hamilton East, was with her young grandchildren, aged three and four, at Wellington Street Beach on January 13. A fight broke out, scaring the children and making her second-guess their safety at the beach…several people were injured in a “violent brawl”, believed to have broken out in the afternoon when other families were enjoying the beach. “Two guys waved sticks then bats at each other, bashing each other, yelling and swearing. Then one picked up a bicycle and the other a scooter, pounding blows at each other. “It was awful to witness, one man was covered in blood from head to toe.”

Hamilton Drive-by robber armed with knife (22 Jan 2015) – “Young people walking the streets of Hamilton’s eastern suburbs have become victims of a drive-by knife-wielding man who allegedly threatens them out the car window. Hamilton police report three incidents involving five victims that have been robbed at knifepoint by a man driving a white car. Bizarrely, the victims reported the man did not get out of the car, but demanded their wallets and phones from the driver’s seat. Police arrested a 25-year-old man allegedly responsible for the crime but believe there are more victims.”

Residents sweep up broken glass after 100 people riot (17 Jan 2015) – “There were about 100 of them and they were just crazy and loud, fighting out in the street,” said the neighbour. “When we called police they said there was already a squad of police out there and they would handle it.” “There were about ten riot squad police and they had a dog as well.”

Hamilton police chase ends in gunfire (25 Aug 2014) – “A gunman allegedly tried to drag a woman out of her car before shooting himself and a police dog handler, following a dramatic pursuit through the streets of Hamilton.”

Violent New Zealand. Police Officer Shot in Hamilton Supermarket Carpark (Aug 2014)

5 Year Old Girl Sexually Assaulted By Peers at a Hamilton School

9 Year Old Drunk at Hamilton Skatepark ‘symptom of booze culture’ but police say its ‘rare’ ?

Hamilton’s “Worst Burglary in a Decade” – Kids Responsible: “Blood Gang Fck the Law”

Elderly Chinese Tourists Robbed at Knifepoint at Hamilton Gardens

Armed Offenders Squad In Nawton, Hamilton

All posts tagged Hamilton – here