Move to solve teen trouble

Police are cracking down on teens who gather in groups in Rotorua's central city and cause trouble.

Teens who gather in groups in Rotorua's central city causing trouble are still on the police's target list after another weekend of unruly behaviour, drunkenness and disorder.

Inspector Stuart Nightingale of the Rotorua police said Saturday night's Lakeside concert coupled with warm weather saw crowds of unsupervised teenagers gathering in the central city.

He said there were children as young as 10 and 11 unsupervised in the city and police had to take home a 13-year-old who was drunk.

There would soon be a "plan" put in place worked through with police, Rotorua Lakes Council and Child Youth and Family to "restrict" the young people in the central city. Mr Nightingale said the plan was still being worked through and he was unable to comment further.

Mr Nightingale said it appeared many parents had "dumped" their children at the Lakeside concert or allowed them to go to the concert unsupervised, resulting in many of them just hanging around the outskirts and not actually attending the concert.

"It's completely unacceptable in my view. We took a number back to their homes.

"A juvenile aged 13 was taken home for being drunk and consuming alcohol in a liquor ban area."

He said other teens were removed from Eat Streat due to their nuisance factor.

"One lady came up to us and said 'thank you for doing that and letting us enjoy our dinner in peace'."

Mr Nightingale said it was always disappointing that whenever police patrolled the streets they were continually finding young people unsupervised, even at 3am and 4am.

"There had been a settling down period [after Christmas and New Year] but there are still isolated pockets of theft ex cars [cars broken in to] and when staff go out they are always coming across juveniles.

"They are at an age where it is illegal to leave them home alone, let alone being found in town."