As Central Otago turns into a holiday destination over the Christmas period, police are reminding locals to be patient as our resources come under pressure.

Alexandra Police Senior Constable Graham Perkins said the increase in holiday traffic on our roads would come with extra people with caravans, trailers and boats, boosting tension levels.

“They come down from Christchurch and the West Coast, or from Auckland and think they can get to Queenstown in a day.”

He said holiday makers often didn’t care where they stopped, “so with that we’ve got a lot of different methods of driving which causes frustration.

"And, then people take chances, which they would not normally take.”

Holiday camps filled up and it was not uncommon for some - particularly the Alexandra Holiday camp to increase by 3000 people over Christmas-New Year.

“And, that puts a strain on our resources, whether that be restaurants, public toilets, our roads and supermarkets . . . and then holiday makers, they are often drinking and their inhibitions come down and they might put themselves into situations they’re not always used to.”

Since Covid-19 Snr Const Perkins has noticed that people socialised more at home in their family or friend groups, and didn’t tend to go out to pubs as much.

Police and Age Concern were also urging people to check on their neighbours regularly leading up to and during the busy Christmas season.

Snr Const Perkins said there have been cases in the past where people haven’t seen anyone next door for a few weeks, and then authorities have then found them deceased.

He said it didn’t hurt to knock on someone’s door if you noticed there hadn’t been any activity at the neighbour’s house, and to look out for things like lights left on all night and curtains shut.

There were also plenty of “opportunists” out there over Christmas who were looking at easy access to cars (don’t leave windows down in supermarket), and entry into houses, so using preventative measures such as a sprinkler in the front yard, or leaving a security light on could help, he said.

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