Pāpāmoa residents  “terrorised” by people throwing rocks at their homes have had a partial win, with Tauranga City Council looking at options to light a walkway being used as an “escape route”.

But some Santa Monica Drive locals want the council to also install a camera, with one saying lighting is not enough, and another saying residents are “living in fear”.

The council, which monitors a network of about 500 CCTV cameras, says these are not installed in residential areas for privacy reasons.

The Bay of Plenty Times published a story last Saturday about the neighbourhood’s concerns about the walkway connecting Santa Monica Drive and Percy Rd.

Brendon Burchell says he staked out the walkway at night after his home was targeted several times, starting with “four big stones” thrown at his house on June 28, causing about $4000 worth of damage to his van and damaging his garage door.

A pensioner living nearby said a rock went through her bathroom window one night near midnight and “sounded like a bomb” as it broke.

The Tauranga City Council walkway in Pāpāmoa connects Santa Monica Drive and Percy Rd. Photo / Megan Wilson.

The two residents called on the council to install a security camera and lighting at the walkway to deter the vandalising behaviour.

The council’s Tauranga Transport Operations Centre team leader Richard Eaton says this week it appreciated how distressing this type of behaviour could be for residents.

“In response to the concerns raised by Brendon and others, we will be looking into options for lighting in the walkway, with a view to improve this for our Pāpāmoa community.”

Richard says the council does not have plans to install CCTV cameras in or near the walkway.

“We encourage the community to report any antisocial behaviour to police, who are the lead agency on these matters.”

'We’re actually living in fear here’

The pensioner – who did not want to be named for privacy reasons – says it is “great” the council is looking to light the walkway but she is disappointed a camera will not be installed.

“We’re actually living in fear here.”

Brendon says he appreciates the council’s efforts, but “I still think it’s falling short”.

He says he believes lighting the walkway will “improve the situation” but “the thing that’s going to stop people is a camera, not the lighting”.

“I’m sort of thankful but I’m quite disappointed as well to hear that if they’re not going to put in a camera.

“We’ve installed cameras but we can only film so far up that walkway and the only way this behaviour’s going to stop [is] if these people are caught on CCTV and held to account.”

Brendon says he believes the council should consult with the impacted residents first.

He says if it is “a money issue”, he would rather have a camera than the lighting as some security cameras had night vision.

Brendon says many neighbours had voiced their concerns to him about the walkway after publication of the article, in which he says the area is being “terrorised” by vandals using the walkway as an “escape route”.

Newly elected Arataki ward councillor Rick Curach had contacted him about the issues, which Brendon says was “reassuring”.

Rick says he will “absolutely promote” a CCTV camera “if it was effective as a further solution to the lighting”.

In his view, ”A staged approach might be sensible where we install some lighting and just look at the situation update in terms of how much personal security that would create … and then consider stage two, being the installation of the security cameras".

Police previously said they had no available lines of inquiry on the rock-throwing reports last month but had stepped up patrols in the area.

Public CCTV and privacy

In response to Brendon and the pensioner’s latest comments, Richard says the council did not install CCTV cameras in residential areas “for privacy reasons”.

“We only install CCTV cameras in some locations, such as near arterial roads.”

Richard says the council is in the “early stages” of exploring options for lighting near the walkway.

“If we do find a suitable option to progress, we will consult with neighbours to ensure we can reach an outcome that promotes safety but also prevents light spilling into homes.”

A list of about 500 CCTV camera locations is published on the council’s website.

Pāpāmoa locations include the public toilets at the Domain, library, community centre, and Pāpāmoa Beach Rd and Domain Rd.

Other locations in Tauranga include toll roads, public toilets, state highways, sports parks, and the CBD.

Megan Wilson, NZHerald