From spotting open garages as prime targets for opportunist thieves, to finding missing young and elderly family members, Pāpāmoa Community Patrol do all sorts to help keep their neighbourhood safe.

Now they need the community’s help back.

The electric patrol vehicle that the volunteer group uses is coming to the end of its sponsorship, and they would like to purchase it to continue their operations. 

Pāpāmoa Community Patrol leader Debbie Youngman says the total amount needed for the EV is $34,600 which includes the new EV Road User Charges and running costs for the year.

“We’ve been very lucky with Ebbett Tauranga sponsoring us for seven years.”

Investing into the EV means the patrol will continue saving on fuel costs heading into the future.

“Before we had the EV, we had budgeted for $9000 worth of fuel for the year. So straight away that’s $9000 a year that we don’t need to fundraise for which means we can spend time patrolling rather than fundraising.”

Debbie says their EV supplied by Ebbett Tauranga has been fantastic, as a smooth and quiet drive.

“When we are patrolling at night, it's quiet. So when it’s one o'clock in the morning and we’re going around the streets, we don't have to worry about the noise our vehicle is making.”

Keeping a watchful eye on their community, Debbie says: “We don't actually want a crime, we want to prevent a crime”.

“If we come across open garage doors or open cars at night, we stop and make the people aware that they've left their doors open.

“It’s about seeing something that doesn't look right, contacting the police and saying: ‘Hey we've just seen a whole lot of kids around a vehicle that's got a smashed window’.”

Yet Debbie says the volunteers aren’t just about preventing crimes, the patrol is also about public reassurance and “helping the community”.

“We look for lost people – children and older people that have gone missing.”

In the past year, the group has covered more than 25,000 km, completed 485 patrols, and dedicated 3248 hours of volunteer time.

Looking to keep up the good work with their EV patrol car, Debbie says they’ve already received some funds to help buy it. “Ray White Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa have already done a fundraiser for us and donated $7445.”

And Papa Mo’s restaurant and bar held a charity golf tournament to chip in with funds too. “It would be great if the community could help contribute!”

Donate to the Pāpāmoa Community Patrol Givealittle page at: givealittle.co.nz/cause/urgent-papamoa-community-patrol-needs-our-help?