Vigilantes and triads 'last resort' in battle against crime

Triad gangs and vigilante groups would only be used to combat crime as a "last resort", the chairman of the Asian Anti-crime Group said this afternoon.

More than 10,000 people took part in the group's march through the Manukau suburb of Botany Downs on Saturday. The rally called on the Government to take a tougher stance on crime.

Rally organiser and group chairman Peter Low said if the Government and police failed to act on South Auckland crime then the community would be forced to adopt more extreme measures.

Mr Low said tougher sentencing was needed for crimes and cited the 2007 murder of Karl Kuchenbecker by Graeme Burton who was on parole at the time.

Prime Minister Helen Clark this morning said she was more worried by the threat of vigilantes than the threat of crime in South Auckland and that such talk was completely over the top.

"Our police are happy to work with community groups who want to help but to talk about setting up vigilante gangs involving triads, good God. What's that coming to?"

National Party MP Pansy Wong also opposed Mr Low's suggestion.

"It's totally unacceptable. Full stop. He shouldn't even be thinking that," she said on Radio New Zealand.

The Police Association said the Triads preyed mostly on the Asian community and it was highly unlikely anyone would give them even more control.

Spokesman Greg O'Connor said the police needed to be fully resourced and empowered to crack down on crime.

- NEWSTALK ZB and NZHERALD STAFF