French Campers Terrorised By Haka Chanting Gang

Waikato Police are seeking the public's assistance in locating those responsible for an alleged aggravated robbery of a French couple camping beside an isolated rural road near Raglan overnight.

Detective Sergeant Mata John of the Ngaruawahia CIB said the couple, believed aged in their twenties, were sleeping in their campervan off Ohautira Rd when they were woken by a man doing a haka.

"The couple have then been accosted by a group of what we believe were five intoxicated males, who had turned up in a dark coloured four-door utility who said the couple had camped on private land and had to pay rent.

"The French male has then been punched and an attempt was made to drag him out of the vehicle before the couple had a variety of items taken from them and their attackers drove off. Though not resulting in serious injury, this is type of attack is concerning given the time it happened and the sense of isolation the victims would have felt."

Ms John said an assault on any person was unacceptable but this particular incident had the potential to cause far reaching damage given the visitors were from overseas.

"The Waikato and in fact the rest of the country prides itself in being a safe, family friendly place to visit and the Police want to ensure we do our part to maintain that hard earned reputation.

"To that end, the public can help as well. We have two main offenders, one a Maori male described as being of solid to fat build with black hair and a goatee beard about 175cm tall who was wearing a black and white T-shirt."

The second offender was described as a male Caucasian who was also of solid to fat build, about 178cm tall with short blond hair and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt with white writing on it and a green cap.

Anyone with any information on the identity of the attackers is asked to contact Ms John at the Ngaruawahia Police Station on 07 824 8199.

Alternatively information can be left anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
ends

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