A group of Indian tourists visiting Christchurch were in for a rude shock when the van containing all their luggage was stolen within just five minutes while parked outside their hotel.
The incident has left the group feeling distressed and upset, especially considering New Zealand’s reputation as one of the safest countries in the world. One tourist said, “We would never recommend anyone to visit New Zealand.”
The incident happened on the evening of July 2, 2023, when the nine members of an Indian tour group reached Christchurch on the last leg of their New Zealand tour, after visiting Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown.
They travelled from Twizel to Christchurch in a passenger van driven by a young Kiwi driver. Upon reaching their hotel in the city, the driver parked the van just outside and entered the hotel to help the passengers with check-in, purportedly leaving the key inside accidentally.
To their disbelief, the van and all the tourists' belongings were stolen within a mere five minutes.
Ganesan from Mumbai who was travelling with his wife said, “I believed New Zealand was a safe country and loved the country's natural beauty. But this experience has been a traumatic experience for all of us.”
Dr. Krishna Kumar Singh from Varanasi, who is visiting with his wife and son, said, “We were really enjoying the trip so far. The weather has been perfect, and Queenstown was beautiful. But our entire experience was ruined by this incident on the last day of the visit.”
The group members expressed disbelief that the entire van could be stolen within five minutes from right outside a prominent hotel in the heart of the city.
The experience of contacting the police and lodging a complaint has also been a “frustrating” one for the group, the members say.
After the incident, the group immediately went to the nearest police station, reportedly only to find it closed for the day. They tried to call an emergency line, Ganesan said, but “every time we were either transferred or told to file a complaint online”.
A couple from the group also lost their passports and money, which were inside the stolen van. The Indian high commission has been providing support to the group, assisting the couple with emergency travel documents.
Dr Singh added, “We have travelled to various countries and never experienced something like this. We did not expect something like this to happen in the heart of the city. If we had any clue, we would never have left our luggage unattended or would have carried the luggage with us.”
Ganesan’s wife, Shanti, said, “We are leaving New Zealand with a very bad experience, and we would not recommend anyone to visit New Zealand.”
The police say they are investigating the incident and will analyse CCTV footage to help identify the culprits.
The local tour operator based in Auckland immediately travelled to Christchurch to help the group with paperwork, so insurance claims could be lodged. Members of the local Indian community were also there to help the group.
In response to the incident, a police representative said, “New Zealand is a safe place to travel, but it pays to prepare and take a few precautions so that your time here is comfortable and trouble-free.”