Foo Fighters fiasco: Concertgoers fork out hundreds of dollars to retrieve vehicles in parking swindle

Foo Fighters concertgoers were left enraged and confused after being duped by a man in a hi-vis vest offering $20 private parking outside a charity building only to find their cars had been towed during the show.

Police say they are investigating after up to 10 people paid a person holding a sign to park at the front of a charity that supports children in need on Neilson St close to Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday.

All those who parked in the private car park believed the payment was a legitimate arrangement but found themselves hundreds of dollars out of pocket when they freed their vehicles.

David Pasco told the Herald he parked his car after noticing a man in hi-vis directing traffic and holding a hand-painted sign with the words “Carpark $20″ written on it.

“He directed me where to park, I parked, went to the show, and had a great night,” he said.

“I came back and the car park was completely empty.”

It was then that Pasco noticed a sign on the car park’s fence from Amalgamated Car Parking Services, stating that the car park was private property and was for authorised parking only.

Amalgamated Car Parking Services enforcement message at the Neilson St car park.

A man allegedly selling fake parking on Neilson St in Penrose to people attending the Foo Fighters concert at Mt Smart Go Media stadium.

After realising his car had been towed, Pasco contacted the parking agency, which informed him he would have to pay $385 to get his car back.

“They (Amalgamated Car Parking Services) said you’ll have to take that matter up with the police. It’s private property, and we’re doing our job.

“I thought I was doing pretty good, paying $100 for a ticket to a great show which cost $500,” Pasco said.

He believed about 10 other cars fell victim to the scam.

“When I finally realised the car was gone, there were two ladies just sitting in this car park. They said, ‘Did you park here too because our car has been towed too’.”

“A part of me was going, it’s 11.30pm on a Saturday night, and these two ladies are sitting in a car park in the dark, waiting for an Uber. Who knows how long that’s gonna take?”

Another victim of the scam, Greg Christensen, told the Herald he chose to park in the lot, thinking it was legitimate, as he thought the funds may have been going to the charity.

“For me, I had to laugh when, after the euphoria of an amazing Foo Fighters show, the realities of life quickly kicked in. I had a dozen or so new-found friends [the other victims] to bond with,” Christensen said.

“I went and spoke with a police officer, who was busy helping with traffic, to voice my immediate displeasure and ask advice. He laughed and suggested I check at Macca’s [McDonald’s] up the road where the bloke was probably spending the money.”

Christensen had travelled to Auckland for the show from Coromandel Town. Given the concert was to finish late, when he arrived at the car park he asked the man whether he could sleep in his car after it finished.

“Yeah, I was pretty grumpy about the whole thing. It was quite surreal. You come back from an amazing show and you go, ‘ah well, there you go’.

After the show, he said he had to walk to the nearest bus stop, take a ride to Quay St in the central city, and then walk to the top of Symonds St in Eden Terrace to get his car back, by which time it was 2am. He got home at 5.10am, “still angry and less than enthused to return to the ‘Big Smoke’,” he said.

The chief executive of the charity that occupied the premises containing the parking lot told the Herald they too are distressed by the deception that left concertgoers hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

“We’re really upset with what transpired at our private premises on Saturday night with an individual not associated with our organisation, illegally selling our car parks without our permission,” the chief executive said.

“This person filled our small space with cars, including the disabled parking space, and jammed them against our glass doors which is a security and safety risk. The police have our security footage and we will be working to find a more permanent solution to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

“We’re gutted for those affected. We’ve been speaking to some of them and thank them for their understanding.”

The Foo Fighters perform at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday 20 January 2024. Photo / Cameron Pitney

Amalgamated Car Parking Services, which is affiliated with towing company Supercity Towing Ltd, has been approached for comment.

A police spokesperson confirmed to the Herald they received a report about the incident and were making inquiries.

The Herald understands police have an image of the man allegedly involved.

The director of stadiums at Auckland Council’s facilities arm, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, James Parkinson said the incident was an “unfortunate reminder” of the need for patrons to make efforts to verify they have the right to park on private property.

“We are disappointed to hear that the actions of one individual has soured the experience of a small group of patrons who attended the Foo Fighters concert at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday 20 January,” Parkinson said.

“The response from concert-goers who attended the Stadium on Saturday has been overwhelmingly positive and it is regrettable that some ticketholders were taken advantage of by this individual.”