Crimeline: Scammers target winter boom
Multiple scammers are targeting Queenstowners online with fraudulent posts about accommodation, items for sale and firewood sales.
As winter approaches and people head into town for the ski season, more and more people are falling victim to increasingly sophisticated scams.
Some scammers simply copy a genuine post offering accommodation, passing it off as their own to entice people to send money and documents. Facebook appears to be the main website for scams, and every week there are posts from locals warning others about obvious and not-so-obvious scams.
Sergeant Haggart says police have received a number of reports from the public, especially from people who've been deceived into paying bonds to secure accommodation.
"Please safeguard yourselves and be extra vigilant when organising things over the phone or online," Haggart says.
"With accommodation enquiries to be safe it pays to use reputable rental agencies or have a friend or representative visit the address for you with the person advertising the rental to ensure its legitimacy before signing any agreements or handing over any money.
"Check the local social media sites as people are very good at pointing out and posting information about scams they have been made aware of."
Haggart also recommends Googling the name, phone number and bank details to see if there are any alerts.
"If it is an overseas account number you have been provided to transfer funds to alarm bells should be ringing."
Police are also warning locals to be on their guard off line. On Friday morning, 2 May, the front passenger window of a car parked at the Mt Creighton Wallking Track carpark, off Glenorchy Road. Clothing and a wash bag were stolen, between 9.30am and 11.30am, while the owner was off mountain biking.
Good recovery for injured man
A Canadian man who was found in a pool of blood on Turner Street, Queenstown, last week has been released from hospital.
The 33-year-old man, who lives in Queenstown, was rushed to Lakes District Hospital in a critical condition with serious head injuries around 6am last Tuesday.
He was transferred to Christchurch Hospital but has since been discharged and is making a good recovery.
"It appears he has just fallen and no other persons were involved," Queenstown Sergeant Tracy Haggart says.
Crashes
A teenager motorcyclist broke his arm in a crash on Kawarau Road, Queenstown, at 6pm on Thursday, 1 May.
The accident happened near the Frankton bus hub, when the 19-year-old motorcyclist collided with the rear passenger side of a ute, as it turned. There was damaged to both vehicles and the teenager was taken to the nearby Lakes District Hospital with a fractured arm.
A Bannockburn man lost control of his vehicle on State Highway 6 at Gibbston, as he was travelled towards Queenstown, at 1.30pm on Thursday, 3 May.
The 32-year-old driver veered off to the left, over corrected, lost control, and drove up the bank, causing his vehicle to flip over. It then collided with another vehicle coming in the opposite direction, scraping its side. There were no injures but both lanes were blocked until firefighters could move the flipped vehicle to the side, from where it was towed away, badly damaged.
Another crash happened on Glenorchy Road, at 2pm on Friday, when a 31-year-old man driving through a narrow section pulled to the left to allow space for another car coming the opposite way. His wheel clipped a rock, pulling his car into a cliff face. He sustained a minor head injury.
Drink drivers
Four alleged drink drivers are heading to court after being stopped on Queenstown roads recently, while police are awaiting blood test results on another.
A 22-year-old Christchurch man had the highest reading of the week police say, allegedly blowing 675mcg when stopped on Stanley St at 11.30pm on Thursday. The legal limit is 250mcg per litre of breath. Anyone between 250-400mcg gets an infringement notice, while those over 400mcg go to court.
A 41-year-old Queenstown man allegedly blew 600mcg, on Kingston Road, shortly after midnight on Wednesday, while a Dunedin man, 20, allegedly blew 515mcg when stopped for driving without his lights on, also on Stanley St, shortly before 5am on Sunday.
And 19-year-old Queenstown man allegedly blew 358mcg when stopped on Frankton Ladies Mile shortly before 2am on Saturday. He'll be heading to court as under 20s are not allowed any alcohol in their system while driving.
Police are awaiting the blood result on a 54-year-old Queenstown man, stopped at a Peninsula Road checkpoint, at 5pm on Thursday. A 62-year-old Queenstown woman narrowly avoided a court appearance after blowing bang on 400mcg, when stopped at the same checkpoint 15 minutes later. She received an infringement notice.
