Thieves Steer Clear
Taupo Times article 24.10.1991

The free car-watching service set up at Craters of the Moon to deter thieves has had a 100 per cent success rate.
Since May, volunteers have been at the car park in a borrowed caravan from &3Oam to 4.3Opm. -
Co-ordinator Jeremy Nash said during that time no break-ins occurred while the volunteers were there. Unfortunately the thieves have been at work when the watchers go home.
In the past two weeks two cars have been broken into with nearly $3500 worth of property stolen.
Both incidents occurred around 6pm.
The caravan, which was borrowed from the Taupo Rotary Club, is no longer needed as the watchers now have a converted railway goods wagon.
Mr Nash said the wagon would be painted, decorated and moved to the site within the next week.
Meanwhile, Turangi police are not having the same success in deterring car park thieves in their area.
During one weekend recently thousands of dollars in cash and equipment were stolen from cars parked in tourist lookouts and trampers’ car parks.
Detective Graeme Reisima said the police did not know how to solve the problem.
“It’s getting worse,” he said. “We’ve tried sitting up there to catch people but nothing seems to work.” Mr Reisima said many people thought it was safer to leave valuables in the car instead of taking them into the bush.
Police were planning to put warnings signs in the carparks and were also stepping up patrols around the worst hit areas.