Thursday, 18 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCommonwealth GamesCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
New Zealand

Cages for bus drivers: Security fears after Rotorua knifepoint robbery

7 Jul, 2022 06:00 PM4 minutes to read
CCTV footage, pixelated, of a person believed to have held a knife to the throat of this bus driver just moments after this image was captured. Photo / Supplied

CCTV footage, pixelated, of a person believed to have held a knife to the throat of this bus driver just moments after this image was captured. Photo / Supplied

Kiri Gillespie
By
Kiri Gillespie

Assistant News Director and Multimedia Journalist

VIEW PROFILE

A Rotorua bus driver feared for his life as a passenger held a knife to his throat and tried to steal cash, a union representative says.

The bus driver was not physically injured in the Tuesday morning attack.

First Union organiser Graham McKean said the driver picked up a young man wearing a hoodie and a facemask on Wrigley Rd, Fordlands.

"He hopped on the bus and they travelled for two stops before the passenger pulled the cord to stop the bus," McKean said.

"There were only the two of them on board at the time. As he came out and approached the driver he put a sharp metal knife hard up against the driver's throat and tried to take the cash box.

"There was a scuffle. The driver started to panic, got concerned about his life essentially."

It is believed the offender made off with cash. He was last seen running down Ford Rd.

McKean said the driver was shaken and "quite upset" but back at work.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Bus drivers were just trying to do their job and threatening their lives was unacceptable, McKean said.

"People should know about this guy. You just can't have stuff like this happen. [The driver] was affected emotionally and afraid for his life."

Related articles

New Zealand

Taupō gang fight: Gun seen, poles used as weapons

04 Jul 10:01 PM
New Zealand|Crime

Carjacking, armed police and locked-down schools on dramatic day in Auckland

07 Jul 05:00 PM
New Zealand

'Wee sunk-in faces': 22 starving puppies dumped

07 Jul 06:42 PM
The safety of Rotorua bus drivers has been highlighted after a driver was robbed at knifepoint on Tuesday. Photo / Andrew Warner
The safety of Rotorua bus drivers has been highlighted after a driver was robbed at knifepoint on Tuesday. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Rotorua bus driver advocate said the behaviour of people in some pockets in society was rapidly deteriorating and she was worried that a bus driver will be seriously hurt.

The driver advocate, who cannot be named, said the robbery was, in her view, an escalation of abuse and assaults local drivers were already experiencing, "especially when you have people who are struggling".

"People who are on drugs - not saying this particular person was - but when they become desperate for money, they will do desperate things," she said.

"Bus drivers in Rotorua have been assaulted before but never with a weapon. This has been happening for about two or three years but hasn't been widely reported. Certainly, people see bus drivers as a source of easy cash."

The driver said she felt bus drivers may need perspex cages in future, likening such a transition to that of bank tellers who now operated in similar environments.

"Caging the drivers is a horrible thing to have to say but that's what I think," she said.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"We all want to go home safe at the end of the day."

First Union organiser Graham McKean. Photo / Andrew Warner
First Union organiser Graham McKean. Photo / Andrew Warner

The driver said the situation was especially sad as drivers often did the job because they liked helping people and contributing to society.

"Make no mistake, bus drivers won't be doing it for the money. They're there for the people."

Ritchies provides Rotorua with 11 buses, which cover most of the city's urban routes.

Ritchies national health and safety manager Kurtiss Pihema said they were "very grateful" the driver was not injured.

"He's been offered counselling and may want to take that up later but for the moment has reassured us that he's fine," Pihema said.

Read More

  • Tauranga bus violence: Regional council restricts free ...
  • Tauranga bus stop violence: Driver suffers head injury ...
  • Buses: Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional ...
  • Tauranga bus drivers boycott stops amid crime, safety ...

"Thankfully this kind of incident is not at all common but we are very concerned that this has happened."

Pihema said any business where employees worked with members of the public had risks and it worked to manage these.

"Our drivers are very caring people who have the safety of their passengers in mind. As a result of this incident we have issued a safety alert as a reminder to our teams. "

Police were now appealing for information from anyone who was in the area of Ford Rd near Sunset Rd at 7.25am on Tuesday.

The alleged offender was last seen running down Ford Rd towards Bellingham Cres, a spokeswoman said.

If anyone has information that could help, they are asked to contact police on 105 and quote file number 220705/9713.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Video

MetService Wellington weather: August 19th

New Zealand|Crime

Drunk-driver's craving for Macca's ends in disaster for elderly motorist

18 Aug 01:24 AM
Video

MetService Auckland weather: August 19th

New ZealandUpdated

Live: Far North cut off with slips and flooding; yacht sinks in harbour

18 Aug 01:29 AM
New ZealandUpdated

Person trapped after two-vehicle collision in Massey

18 Aug 01:07 AM

Most Popular

Scrap metal fire: Toxic smoke warning, residents to stay inside; blaze to burn across day
New Zealand

Scrap metal fire: Toxic smoke warning, residents to stay inside; blaze to burn across day

18 Aug 12:51 AM
Wet, warm and windy: Auckland and Northland battered by heavy rain overnight
New Zealand

Wet, warm and windy: Auckland and Northland battered by heavy rain overnight

17 Aug 09:25 PM
Nelson to New York: TV's David Lomas and an emotional reunion of long-lost father and son
Entertainment

Nelson to New York: TV's David Lomas and an emotional reunion of long-lost father and son

17 Aug 08:59 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP