Nightingale said police noticed Pokemon Go players, including a police officer, were going "hunting" in those areas, including the Government Gardens. The Pokemon Go app allows players to find the pocket monsters using a GPS signal on their smartphones. Andrew Sill, a 33-year-old avid Pokemon hunter, is part of the group who catches Pokemon at the Government Gardens late at night. When the player closes in on one, the device's camera turns on, showing the Pokemon in "real life". Rotorua crime prevention manager Inspector Stu Nightingale said there had been an increase in people breaking into cars around the Government Gardens and the Polynesian Spa prior to Pokemon Go becoming popular.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 28, 2016 17:03 UTC