Kids of 12 held after gang robbery

Wairoa, in Northern Hawkes Bay. Photo / Supplied

A group of children - some as young as 12 - dressed in gang colours have robbed a visitor in the east coast town of Wairoa.

The woman, who is 21, was in Wairoa because her partner had got work in the town and she was considering a permanent move there - a move that is now in doubt.

Nine youths aged between 12 and 16 approached the woman and demanded her cigarettes, grabbing them from her when she refused.

The youths were wearing gang colours and were arrested after the woman rang 111. She was shaken but unharmed.

A 10th youth, aged 16, was also arrested yesterday in relation to the robbery and will appear in the Wairoa Youth Court along with five others who are all on strict bail conditions.

Wednesday's robbery is the latest in a series of gang-related incidents that have created a negative impression for Wairoa despite police and community leaders' assurances that the area is no different from anywhere else in the country.

It's understood the woman had left town and was still to decide if she would return.

Wairoa I-Site manager Sally Simpson said the town's people and businesses were fed up with the battering the town has received.

"That's common knowledge around the town. We're all thoroughly fed up with the negative messages that go out about Wairoa instead of positive messages of how life is everyday for us."

There had been "absolute disgust" from the community at the robbery of the visitor.

"I hadn't heard of one forever so it was really surprising. It definitely is not [a common occurrence] ... It's a safe town," she said.

Domestic tourists were wary when they arrived.

"There's a lot of very good publicity that goes out overseas and we have domestic tourists - some who come with preconceived ideas - and many times they come back and say 'what a friendly place, what a great place to live, we're really surprised'. They're very open about it."

Business owners spoken to by the Herald yesterday were upset about the negative impression the gang problems created.

Wairoa police Senior Sergeant Tony Bates said one offender still had to be tracked down. "The matter is dealt with and is in the hands of Youth Aid and Youth Court depending on their ages."

The attack was rare, he said. "I've been here for years and I doubt we'd have one a year, you hear of more in other centres." However, Mr Bates said the robbery was obviously a concern.

Wairoa mayor Les Probert said the behaviour was a national issue, and the town had processes in place to deal with gangs.

"At every place in New Zealand at this time of year these things go on," he said.

"These things are happening and we don't want them to happen. It is the sort of thing we are attempting to avoid."

He said the council liaised with police regularly, and had youth programmes.

- additional reporting: Hawke's Bay Today