The Barrier abduction

I was very relieved that the abduction on Great Barrier Island ended without loss of life. I was pretty pessimistic about the outcome, as it is rare and difficult for someone to go bush fleeing the Police, and having an abductee with them.

GBI is one of my favourite spots in New Zealand, and while it is not entirely a crime free paradise, such violence leaves a horrible stain on the community. Made even worse by the fact that in such a small community, the victim is known personally to almost everyone.

Sunday News reported:

Nortessa’s alleged abductor was yesterday taken to Auckland for questioning. He had not been charged last night.

Tait said police did well to surround him as the locals were “very angry” and she didn’t know how they would have reacted if they’d found him first.

Heh. Almost a pity they didn’t.

Peter praised his fellow islanders who came out in droves to assist police and the armed offender squad in finding Nortessa.

“There’s so much love on this island, you must have seen that. You don’t get that in too many places in the world,” he said.

“There’s been two dozen Barrier boys out there the whole time. Searching non-stop.

“All night they’ve been looking, they’ve covered hundreds of acres.”

Detective Inspector Scott Beard, who led the investigation, added: “She’s a local girl, she was part of their community, they felt a duty to come out. The whole investigation team, the locals, everyone’s happy.”

One of the many things I love about Great Barrier Island – that sense of community. If I lived in Auckland and was able to travel there more frequently, I’d seriously look at buying a home there.