Watch ‘bored’ teens riot at a cafe in Whangamatā on New Years

Hundreds of teens inflicted thousands of dollars in damage to a popular Coromandel beachside cafe on New Year’s Eve.

There were reports of drunk teenagers gathering outside the Blackies Cafe in Whangamatā, with some climbing onto the roof of the store, near Williamson Park, at night.

It was understood that the roof of the cafe was broken, and the store was robbed with products worth $ 5000 taken from a freezer and some tables smashed.

A police spokesman said they responded to “messy work involving young people” in Williamson Park.

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“The police who attended observed that the behavior escalated during the night; the crowds were cleared and around 22 people were arrested ”.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie hoped it was something unique.

He said nearby public toilets were also vandalized over the past two nights and that it would cost taxpayers up to $ 200,000 in repairs.

Goudie said estimates were that 400,000 people were in the district this week, exceeding expectations and potentially putting pressure on water and waste collection services.

She said a concert at Joe’s Farm went well without major problems and thought it was a case of bored teenagers looking for something to do.

“So we had a controlled event with people enjoying music and entertainment and then on the other hand with these out of control young people who have caused a lot of damage.”

The council would have to “go back to the drawing board” to see if a separate event for the youth was needed on New Year’s Eve.

“We previously did a concert at Williamson Park, but there were problems and the council didn’t want the kind of riotous behavior we had in the early 2000s, it was terrible.

“This has been a different year and we were not prepared for this.

“The decisions we make [to manage the district over summer] they were pre-Covid and the large number of national visitors was not taken into account. “

Goudie said the district’s population of 400,000 this summer was a record.

“Everything is stretched to the maximum, we are hanging by the skin of the teeth in terms of water supply and crossing our fingers not to have a fire like Ahipara.

“Key messages for visitors: conserve water, be careful on our roads and do not light fires in any way.”

The Whangamatā Surf Life Saving Club, neighboring the Blackies Cafe, prevented any damage to its three-story building.

Club president Gavin Scott said there were a lot of glass around the site, but the council had worked hard to clean them up early in the morning.

The club’s services ran normally during what was traditionally one of the busiest days of the summer season.

Meanwhile, in Auckland, the police were mostly happy with the revelers’ behavior. However, 16 people were arrested in the CBD for alcohol-related incidents and disorders.

In Mission Bay, two young men were arrested for disorderly conduct.

Further south in Christchurch, police made 18 arrests, mainly to allow people to detox after consuming alcohol.

“Often times, that has more to do with ensuring they stay safe,” said a police spokeswoman.

A 19-year-old man was arrested on Hereford St after he allegedly hit someone. The date of the hearing has not yet been confirmed.

“No major problems were reported at the celebrations on Mt Maunganui despite the large crowds,” the police spokeswoman said.

“In Wellington, the New Years celebrations generally went well. The police attended a riot work in the CBD where five people were arrested.

“In Wanaka there were five arrests, most of them for disorder. There were multiple violations of the liquor ban and disorder warnings. “