Alleged arson and vandalism in Whakarewarewa Forest.
Alleged arson and vandalism in Whakarewarewa Forest.
Security systems are being reviewed in a bid to curb vandalism and theft in Rotorua’s forest.
Mountain Bike Rotorua co-owner Tak Mutu said he met with Rotorua Lakes Council and Timberlands on Monday afternoon to discuss how they could work together to improve safety in the forest.
It came aftera fire destroyed a shuttle pick-up point in the forest off Waipā Mill Bypass Rd and shade sails, chains, and an unusable cell-booster unit were taken. The estimated cost of the damage was $10,000.
Mutu received a call from a member of the public on Sunday morning to say the shuttle pick-up point, at the corner of Pipeline and Hill Rds in the forest off Waipā Mill Bypass Rd, had been destroyed.
A chainsaw was used to cut down the shelters, and an eight-metre pole with a cell-booster unit on top of it was taken.
Waterproof shade sails and chains were also stolen.
Alleged arson and vandalism in Whakarewarewa Forest.
The offenders then set the signs, a marquee and a retail sales box on fire before fleeing, which Mutu said was “super-concerning” given the forestry surroundings.
He said they did not believe they were targeted because there had been an increase in vandalism in and around the forest over the past year.
The council had live-view city surveillance systems and cameras near the forest.
There were already security cameras at different parts of the forest, including Red Stag cameras at the main entrance on Waipā State Mill, some of which could identify number plates.
Alleged arson and vandalism in Whakarewarewa Forest.
The parties at the meeting would now look at how they could extend the security system to include other parts of the forest and how the different systems could complement each other, he said.
Mutu said trail cameras were in place in some parts of the forest and it was looking to extend this to have live-view cameras for popular spots which would trigger notifications and alarms.
Mutu said they had decided to wait before rebuilding the shuttle pick-up point because of the vandalism at the site over the past two years, and a different approach was needed.
It was still exploring the options, but this could include using shipping containers and steel poles.
“We want it to be a better area for people to line up and hang out at - we get tens of thousands of people through there each year,” he said.
“We need to make sure it’s robust ... and going to stand the test of time.”
Alleged arson and vandalism in Whakarewarewa Forest.
He hoped this would be done in time for summer.
Mutu said people had offered financial and labour support after the incident, which was “humbling”, but he wanted people to know they had the resources to carry out the work.
The council said it had a productive meeting with Mutu and Timberlands ‘’and we will all be looking into co-ordinating security measures...’’
Police inquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 105 referencing file number 230702/8962.
Cira Olivier is a social issues and breaking news reporter for NZME Bay of Plenty. She has been a journalist since 2019.
