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French tourists beaten, robbed near Tauranga

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Hitchhikers beaten, robbed in Papamoa

3News NZ

The pair were hitchhiking south out of Mt Maunganui (file pic)

The pair were hitchhiking south out of Mt Maunganui (file pic)

Two French tourists have been left unable to support themselves after being beaten and robbed near Tauranga at about 4pm yesterday.

The 21-year-old men were hitching south out of Mt Maunganui yesterday afternoon when two men picked them up in a vehicle.

They were then driven to an abandoned Shell service station on State Highway Two, near Welcome Bay Road in Papamoa, where they were attacked.

The robbers took nearly all their possessions, including a pack, clothing, passports and all of their cash and money cards, leaving the two French men unable to support themselves. The tourists have minor injuries and are traumatised by the unprovoked attack.

Police say they have been given accommodation in the Tauranga area until funds can be forwarded from France.

Investigators are looking for a black four-door sedan in “rough condition”, with registration number ZR 9879, or something similar, which police say is registered to a black Nissan Pulsar.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to contact the Tauranga Police. Alternatively they can anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Comments

9/07/2012 4:21:13 p.m.

jono wrote:

Yet another reason to depart to aussie. NZ continues its rapid decline into the abyss.

8/07/2012 11:17:10 p.m.

NZ is not safe wrote:

Just another day in Kiwiland. One day it's a Czech tourist getting murdered, another day it's a pair of French tourists getting attacked, then there was the German woman in Taranaki who got killed, and the couple near Paihia who were attacked and raped, and the pair cycling through NZ who got stones thrown at them... the list goes on and on... not to mention all the others who get their campervans broken into every year. Kiwis can't be trusted.

8/07/2012 4:46:38 p.m.

Steve wrote:

Its about time that NZ adopted a premium to sentences to thoes who rob tourists .Tourism is a major source of income for NZ and visitors to this country deserve additional incentives to be protected . . I have heard that places like Hawaii come down particuarly hard people who commit crimes against tourists . At the moment tourists are a lucrative target for some low life .

8/07/2012 3:58:25 p.m.

Sam wrote:

New Zealand is still a relatively safe place. However, caution needs to still be exercised here as anywhere else in the world. It is not the same NZ as it was 40 years ago. Having said all of that, I hope the attackers feel darn good about themselves, cowardly mongrels.

8/07/2012 1:21:46 p.m.

Sara Nelson wrote:

This is absolutely the lowest thing anyone can do to our tourists and to think its in our suburb of Papamoa...hope they get caught...

8/07/2012 1:08:34 p.m.

Abbie wrote:

As a Queenslander-Kiwi this is just shameful...it certainly doesnt help NewZealands image and the fact that everyone is leaving...not really the friendly nz that people like to talk about! Hope the scum are caught and put away for a long long time...

8/07/2012 10:54:39 a.m.

annmarie wrote:

Thts sad!!!! Y wuld sum1 do tht no wonder y tourist dont wanna kum 2 nz Wat losers hope they get caught

8/07/2012 9:41:51 a.m.

Si-guy wrote:

So not proud to be a kiwi right now if this is how we treat our visitors! I know it's just a small minority who do things like this, but you give us all a bad name, shame on you, hope you get what's coming to you, you lowlifes!

8/07/2012 9:37:05 a.m.

terry lawrence wrote:

I am ashamed to be called a NewZealander...absolutely shameful...

8/07/2012 9:25:20 a.m.

Tyrone wrote:

Its so sad to read things like this when living over this side and being a Kiwi. They respect our country and everyone I have spoken to says they love it and will go back. It only takes idiots like this to spoil a good name. No need for this, totally disgraceful...