Crimeline has changed. It is written by the Wānaka App based on a weekly meeting with Wānaka Police.

Unruly stag parties has been an increasing trend in Wānaka, Senior Sergeant Darren Cranfield says.

“We had three different groups in town last week, all causing problems,” he said.

“There were a number of assaults related to these groups.”

Each group was around 10 people, and the unruly behaviour was “always associated with alcohol, that’s the problem”, Darren said.

“Our advice is don’t get confrontational or approach people if they are disorderly or offending: Call the police.”

Darren said it’s unusual for Wānaka to have so many stag parties.

“It’s more of a Queenstown theme but it appears to be on the increase… Just stay in Queenstown for your stag drinks.”

Fake firearms and car skids

“As usual we get multiple calls of kids doing skids in their cars at different places around the town,” Darren said.

There was an incident this past week where someone confronted people in a vehicle doing skids, and the two parties were “at loggerheads”.

“What I’d suggest is just try to obtain a rego plate rather than confronting them yourself. 

“Call us straight away if you can or you can pass the information onto us at a later stage. There’s no use putting yourself in harm’s way if there’s a group of people.”

There have also been two incidents involving imitation firearms, he said.

The first was someone with a wooden replica firearm in downtown Wānaka, and the second was “some children doing anti-social behaviour again with an imitation firearm”.

“Our advice to parents is if your children are going out playing cowboys and Indians, or whatever they play, make sure they’ve got some basic rules in place so the kids are behaving and not intimidating or harming,” he said.

Multiple accidents on Crown Range

Darren said there were more than three motor vehicle accidents on the Crown Range this week.

“Another reminder for the locals: it’s a high risk area for us for crashes,” he said.

“A common theme is overseas tourists that go to our lookout spots and come back out on the wrong side of the road because that’s how they drive overseas. 

“Just be mindful that if you’re coming around a corner there may be a vehicle on your side of the road,” he said.

Darren said a variety of factors cause crashes on the Crown Range.

“It can be inattention. Speed isn’t normally a big one up there because you can’t get too much speed. The conditions determine how you should be driving.”

Beware of cattle, deer on roads

Darren said people travelling near Boundary Creek (south of Makarora) have reported loose cattle on the road.

Motorists should be aware that The Roar is approaching, he added.

“Be mindful if you’re travelling early morning, late evening. A lot of deer start coming down from The Roar around all those areas with bush.

“There will be a big increase in that in the next week or two,” he said.

Wānaka police are short staffed this week and Darren apologised for any delays at the station as a result.  

Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.

Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.

Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.

To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.

PHOTO: Wānaka App