Residents of a quiet Christchurch suburb say they have been living in fear due to repeated thefts, threats, and ongoing intimidation from a neighbour.
Police carried out a raid at a Horotane Valley property in Heathcote on Tuesday morning, as first reported by chrislynchmedia.com, arresting a person and seizing a stolen silver Holden station wagon.
For years, residents say they have endured relentless thefts, intimidation, and antisocial behaviour, and despite repeatedly seeking police assistance, many feel ignored.
A local resident, who did not want to be identified due to safety concerns, said the community has “had enough of being the victims of crime.”
“Once someone came up our driveway while we were asleep and stole our lawn mower. Luckily, it had GPS, so we tracked it straight to the person’s house. We confronted the person, and they admitted to taking it. We had video footage, GPS tracking, and even a written confession.
“Police were involved, but despite all the evidence, the person received a light sentence. That was back in 2020, and since then it’s been non-stop — small thefts, tools, electric fencing, you name it,” the resident said.
Police at Heathcote property on Tuesday / Supplied
“People here are exhausted. We formed a neighbourhood group after my electric fence was stolen about a month ago. We’ve now got around 35 households involved, and we all filed trespass notices to keep the person and their associates off our properties.”
The resident described growing frustration with police inaction, despite the ongoing problems.
“After filing the trespass notices, the person’s partner chased a resident down the street, threw a rock at their car, and threatened their family.
“Police even admitted they regularly patrol the area because of constant issues, but we were left feeling like we had to manage this ourselves,” the resident said.
The ongoing pattern of thefts and threats has left the once tight-knit community feeling under siege.
“Honestly, it’s felt like living with a terrorist in our own neighbourhood. People are scared to speak out. Elderly residents are frightened, and people just want to feel safe again,” the resident said.
Police at Heathcote property on Tuesday / Supplied
Despite this week’s arrest, locals remain cautious about whether lasting change will follow.
“There’s a real fear that nothing will change. Police have told us they do their bit, but the justice system lets people like this walk free. We’ve been told the same story — that the person will claim hardship, blame the people they mix with, and be back out in no time.
“The truth is, unless there’s serious intervention, like a proper rehabilitation programme, we expect the cycle to continue,” the resident said.
“There’s never really been any incentive for the person to stop because they know they get away with it.
“Every time we report something to police, we get the same generic email — ‘Thanks for your report, but due to more serious crime we won’t be taking it any further.’ We’ve all received them. Between the residents, I’d estimate there have been around 80 of those emails.
“It’s felt like living with a terrorist in our own neighbourhood for years. We’re just really hoping this is finally the turning point, because this is such a small, tight-knit community. Many of the families in Horotane Valley are second-generation growers — their parents lived here before them — and we all just want to get back to feeling safe and looking after one another without constantly dealing with this.
“We don’t want anyone’s life ruined — we just want to live peacefully without constantly having to look over our shoulders,” the resident said.
