Pokemon Go players strive to "catch 'em all" and now they are being recruited by Rotorua police to help catch more than the fictional species.
The Pokemon Go app allows players to find Pokemon using a GPS signal. When the player closes in on one, the device's camera turns on,showing the Pokemon in "real life", the aim is to "catch 'em all".
Rotorua crime prevention manager Inspector Stu Nightingale said there had been an increase in people breaking into cars around the Government Gardens and the Polynesian spa before Pokemon Go became popular.
"The Government Gardens and Polynesian Spa are easy to target because they are areas that aren't very well lit."
Mr Nightingale said police became aware Pokemon Go players were wandering around those areas late at night, inlcuding a police officer who was part of a group that went to the Government Gardens.
ON WATCH: Rotorua crime prevention manager Inspector Stu Nightingale (left) is happy to have the help of Pokemon Go players like Andrew Sill (right). PHOTO/BEN FRASER
He said the officer had posted on the group's Facebook page asking fellow players to stick together to keep safe and to report anything they thought might be dodgy or out of place to the police.
"I just thought 'great! There's another set of eyes and ears for us'.
"The officer saw it as a good crime prevention opportunity outside of work and it makes people more aware of the car thefts that have been happening.
Mr Nightingale said technology was constantly evolving and it was a great tool to be using.
"It's certainly another opportunity and the police will use any opportunity that there is to send a message around being safe, keeping safe, feeling safe.
"And having bunches of people roaming around the Government Gardens at all hours chasing Pokemon is a great opportunity for us. . . it will deter thieves and also there's more people to report to us what's happening as well," Mr Nightingale said.
Andrew Sill, a 33-year-old avid Pokemon hunter, is part of the group who catches Pokemon down at the Government Gardens late at night.
"I think it's standard human responsibility to look out for dodgy things happening.
"I'm all for trying to improve the community. Any bad behaviour that we can stomp out or at least help catch it, it's all for the better."
