Latest news with #FacialRecognition
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
Christchurch woman alleges two-day captivity, seeks emergency relocation from Kāinga Ora housing
Alleged assault and captivity in Kāinga Ora home sparks urgent rehousing plea A Christchurch woman has alleged she was held captive and repeatedly assaulted over two days in May, 2025, inside her Kāinga Ora residence. She has since requested emergency relocation, citing continued threats to her safety and emotional trauma from remaining in the property where the events took place. The woman, referred to as Joanna* for legal reasons, reported that the incident began when a man she had briefly spoken to at a bus stop weeks earlier arrived unannounced at her home on Tong Yin Street. Believing it to be a friend, she opened the door and was allegedly attacked and forced inside. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Semua yang Perlu Anda Ketahui Tentang Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo Also read: Top 10 safest countries of the world in 2025 Joanna claims she was strangled, punched, kicked, and sexually assaulted multiple times during the ordeal. She said she was held in her upstairs bedroom without access to medication, was not allowed near windows, and was kept under constant threat. Live Events Emergency services respond, accused detained at scene After nearly two days, Joanna said she escaped after discovering the man asleep in another room. She fled to a neighbor's house and contacted police. Officers, including the armed offenders squad, entered the property and arrested the alleged offender at the scene. She was hospitalized for several weeks, undergoing facial surgeries and treatment for head trauma. Joanna says she is now partially blind in one eye and suffers from a concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder. Photographic evidence taken in hospital reportedly supports her claims. A man has been remanded in custody and has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges, including rape, kidnapping, and strangulation. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted. Joanna reports unwanted contact from prison, corrections admits oversight Joanna also alleges that since the man's incarceration, she has received letters and phone calls indirectly linked to him. She believes the letters were sent by another inmate on the accused's behalf, violating court-imposed no-contact orders. Also read: Will NZ supermarkets start scanning your face? What shoppers need to know about Facial Recognition Technology Jo Harrex, general manager of Christchurch Men's Prison, acknowledged that a systems failure allowed the correspondence to occur. 'I acknowledge how distressing this unwanted contact would have been for the victim, and we have taken immediate steps to prevent it from happening again,' Harrex said in a statement. Corrections confirmed the inmate had a no-contact order and admitted the oversight in screening outgoing mail. Measures have now been reinforced to prevent similar breaches, with staff reminded to monitor mail activity more closely. Kāinga Ora relocation request faces delays despite support from advocates Joanna has requested to be moved from her current Kāinga Ora property due to safety concerns. With the support of hospital staff and a social worker, she claims to have contacted her housing manager weeks ago but says she received no response until media inquiries were made. Liz Krause, Canterbury regional director of Kāinga Ora, stated that tenants seeking relocation for safety reasons must apply through the Ministry of Social Development. She added that no contact was logged from Joanna until recently, though Joanna disputes this and says her advocates have reached out on her behalf. Krause confirmed the timeline for rehousing depends on the availability of other properties. Joanna says the delay is unacceptable and is exacerbating her trauma. 'I hate that house. I hate it,' she said. Also read: New Zealand trust, Green MPs at loggerheads over police funding, crime control A Christchurch woman claims she was held captive, assaulted, and raped in her Kāinga Ora home by an intruder. Despite ongoing safety threats, she says requests for emergency relocation remain unanswered. Corrections admits a communication failure enabled contact from the accused while in prison. Authorities continue investigating the incident Christchurch woman alleges two-day captivity, seeks emergency relocation from Kāinga Ora housing Joanna has since written to Christchurch Men's Prison to block future correspondence and is working with authorities to ensure her safety as she awaits a new housing assignment.
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Scoop
Retail Crime Significantly Under-reported
Press Release – Retail NZ Retail NZs COMS Retail Crime Report 2024 found that 99% of respondents, representing more than 1500 stores across New Zealand and online, experienced some form of retail crime or anti-social behaviour, totalling 140,746 incidents. Retail crime rates are significantly under-reported in New Zealand, by almost 40%, a new report by Retail NZ has found. Retail NZ's COMS Retail Crime Report 2024 found that 99% of respondents, representing more than 1500 stores across New Zealand and online, experienced some form of retail crime or anti-social behaviour, totalling 140,746 incidents. The incidents ranged from credit card fraud and shoplifting through to threatening behaviour, criminal damage and physical assault. But almost 40% of those retail crimes were not reported to Police, Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says. There were a range of reasons why respondents did not report incidents to Police, such as low value items not being worth the effort; the retailer discovered the offence too late or dealt with it directly. Some also raised concerns that Police would not do anything. 'Our 2023 Retail Crime Report found that the cost of retail crime is around $2.6 billion a year. This cost flows through from retailers to customers to the New Zealand economy, and so is a major brake on the retail sector's contribution to economic growth. In this latest survey, we focused on identifying the actual level of retail crime in New Zealand, confirming that it is much higher than official statistics show,' Ms Young says. 'Every day, retailers are dealing with threatening, violent or simply unpleasant customers, who are trying to steal or damage their property. Almost every retail worker has been affected by crime and aggression which is traumatic for those directly involved and their colleagues.' This is a serious health and safety issue for retail employers, she says. Retail NZ strongly recommends that all crime incidents are reported to the Police, regardless of the scale of the offending. 'This is essential to enable Police to track the full extent of retail crime, ensure that they can assign appropriate resources and keep track of repeat offenders. Full reporting also enables policy makers and Government to see the full scale of retail crime, and implement appropriate policies and support to the sector,' Ms Young says. COMS Systems Director Paul Andrew says it is disappointing that shoplifting and aggressive behaviour have increased, impacting not only profitability but also staff safety and wellbeing. However, the support for Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) within the retail sector is encouraging. 'Embracing technology is essential — it's the future, and it's here to stay,' Mr Andrew says. There has been positive progress on efforts to prevent retail crime in the last 12 months, including Foodstuffs North Island's successful trial of FRT, and the establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Group for the victims of retail crime. Ms Young is a member of this group. Police are rolling out new Community Beat Teams in cities and towns across Aotearoa New Zealand, and stronger sentencing legislation has been enacted. Retail NZ has formed a working group comprising a number of large retailers which is developing agreed approaches to crime prevention measures including legislative change and technology like FRT.
