Lake Ōkareka residents raise $50,000 to combat crime

Rotorua's Lake Ōkareka community has raised $50,000 to put security cameras at the entrances to the area to ensure its residents can feel safer.

The community, which has become fed up with people speeding, dumping rubbish, dumping offal, poaching and committing other crimes in the area, can now work with police to monitor who comes in and out with new state-of-the-art security cameras.

Two cameras have been erected at each entrance of Ōkareka and the footage is recorded and monitored by the Rotorua Lakes Council.

A close-up of the new cameras. Photo / Andrew Warner

The cameras allow police to access footage of vehicles day or night clearly enough to read registration plates on the vehicles.

Lake Ōkareka Community Association chairwoman Kim Lorigan said the organisation had saved for the cameras in the past few years from profits made from their two campsites - the Department of Conservation camp and the Boyes Beach camp, both on the shores of the lake.

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She said the association did not have access to the cameras directly but if complaints were laid with police, officers could then access information from the cameras via the council.

She said residents had been supportive of the association's push for the cameras.

"From a security perspective, it's fantastic. We do have a lot of trouble out here, particularly on the farms."

She said stolen stock from farms, people dumping rubbish and animal carcasses, and people repeatedly speeding were just a few issues.

If residents witnessed someone speeding on the narrow, winding roads they could note the times and give the details to police, who could then access the cameras to find out who was driving.

Mitch Collins, secretary of the Lake Okareka Community Association, in front of one of the new security cameras. Photo / Andrew Warner

Association secretary Mitch Collins said Ōkareka loved welcoming visitors to the area and it shouldn't be seen as a form of a "gated community".

"It's a popular destination and people love coming here and using the lake and it gets really busy over summer."

He said the cameras would just provide residents with that extra peace of mind when needed.

The new Boyes Beach ablution block at Lake Ōkareka. Photo / Andrew Warner

The cameras come on top of the new ablution block, also partly paid for by the association, at Boyes Beach which opened in May.

Rotorua Lakes Council operations group manager Jocelyn Mikaere said the council had partnered with various communities over the years to extend their CCTV network, including in Mamaku, Kaingaroa and Ngākuru.

"Council and the community association entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise the commitment to work in partnership in the extension of the CCTV network. Like many of the recent upgrades in their area, this initiative was co-funded by Lake Ōkareka Community Association."

She said the CCTV network was an important part of the council's role in creating thriving neighbourhoods, assisting with community safety, crime prevention and the deterrence of antisocial behaviour.

"Continuous monitoring of CCTV footage enables a quick response to incidents as they are happening and allows council to work in collaboration with the police in response to serious incidents."

The council also operated CCTV cameras at its satellite locations such as transfer stations, the landfill and the dog pound.