Youth To Appear In Waihi District Court After Roof-Top Incident

Posted by Media Release: Waikato Police on 30/12/2011

Young people and their inexperience with, and ability to obtain alcohol continues to be a concern for Waikato officers policing popular holiday locations this summer.

Senior Sergeant Kevin Anderson of the Whangamata Police said a good example of this was an incident shortly after midnight when emergency services were called to the local surf club.

"Officers arrived to find a highly intoxicated male on the roof of the building and we negotiated with him to remain where he was for his own safety while we arranged for assistance from the local fire brigade.

"With the fire fighters' arrival the 18-year-old Rotorua male was brought down and arrested for disorder and he will appear in the Waihi District Court on 12 January."

Mr Anderson said the man's rescue from the roof of the multi-storied building took place in the dark and in strong winds and at a particularly busy time of year emergency service staff have better things to be doing than responding to this type of behaviour.

This latest arrest comes on the back of several others where young people, whose lack of life experience, put themselves and others at risk.

"Over the last 24-hour period 23 people aged 17-years-old have been arrested and one 15-year-old. Nearly all of the teenagers' arrests resulted from breaching the liquor ban or alcohol related disorder.

"We as a community need to look at how well supervised these young adults are. Parents or caregivers need to take steps before these young people come to the attention of Police and if that means them not coming to the beach without supervision then so be it."