A report by the Rotorua District Council has revealed only 46 per cent of residents trust strangers. Daily Post reporter TAMLYN STEWART looks at why residents are concerned.
Elderly Rotorua resident Patrick Bent and his wife Ivy were swindled out of $800 a year ago by a conman posing as an electrician.
The money was eventually returned, but the experience has left them much more wary about strangers.
"Of course you have to be very careful when dealing with anybody," Mr Bent said.
"In my case this person came to my door. He said he came about the electricity. I had been considering getting a new switch or something put in. He came, and he had a good knowledge of what he was talking about. He was very confident. I was the idiot and he was the brains - that's the way he tried to make me feel.
"But all these guys approach from a different angle, you've always got to be careful," he said.
Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne said no matter how healthy a community was, there would always be an element that would abuse trust.
"It is not only reasonable, but also desirable that people will be cautious when dealing with people they don't know - in business or socially.
"Another factor that should be added to the mix when making a decision involving trust is the level of risk. In other words, what is at stake? A chocolate bar or your $300 iPod?" he said.
Owhata Primary School principal Bob Stiles said the school taught its students about stranger danger at the beginning of each year. He said children were taught to be very aware when they were outside the school in the mornings and after school and were taught not to get into cars with strangers.
Mr Stiles said the school didn't want to scare the younger children too much but children were taught how to respond in various social situations with strangers.
"We have lots of classroom discussions and role-playing so they learn what to do," he said.
Otonga Primary School principal Linda Woon said this term was the school's safety term.
The school had the Kia Kaha programme, run with the police, which covered issues like not getting into a car with strangers and getting to and from school safely. Students were also being taught about cyber safety.
"We have a good group of parents," she said. "The parents do report if they see anything suspicious or inappropriate."
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