Thieves have been targeting Asian tourists in Rotorua.
Police fear a professional crime group might be working in the city.
They have been stealing their possessions, sometimes from right beside the tourists as they have been eating at city hotels.
At least four tourists were the victims of theft yesterday morning between 7am
and 8.30am at four different hotels in Rotorua, Senior Sergeant Dave Wilson said.
The thieves had either taken the bags off the backs of the victim's chairs while they ate, or targeted them while they were in the foyer of the hotels.
Mr Wilson said witnesses reported seeing two male offenders waiting in the foyer who were described as Asian or part-Asian, aged in their 30s. The men were tidily dressed and did not appear out of place.
After investigation, police officers found one handbag in a garden outside one of the hotels. The victim in that case managed to get back passports, but all other items were missing.
Mr Wilson said the thieves had taken credit cards, passports, airline tickets, money and other personal items as well as the bags. It was not clear how much the items were worth, but Mr Wilson said each victim had lost ""a substantial amount of money" in the thefts.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
