3 Dec 2009

Swift arrest of couple after tourists robbed

5:19 pm on 3 December 2009

The police say a man arrested after a tourist car-jacking at a swimming hole near Rotorua had been on the run from them in Auckland.

A 25-year-old man and 22-year-old woman appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday charged with aggravated robbery.

Four backpackers at Kerosene Creek on Monday night were confronted by another group of four with what appeared to be a firearm.

The Rotorua area commander, Inspector Bruce Horne, says they acted fast by phoning friends. The community and Rotorua businesses also provided excellent leads, which led to quick arrests.

Inspector Bruce Horne says the four tourists are shaken but unhurt and happy to continue holidaying in New Zealand.

He says the Rotorua community has helped the police to reduce crime in the city by 25% in the past five years, while car crime has halved in the same period.