Probably the ultimate nightmare for a motelier would be experiencing an armed hold-up. In New Zealand, a desperate low-life attracted to the glow of a motel reception's neon lights late at night would be disappointed with the loot on offer. Unfortunately with most motel guests increasingly paying by credit cards or EFTPOS there is little cash kept on site and I suspect our local criminal fraternally are instinctively aware of this.
The worst crime endured in the New Zealand motel industry is the fashion-crime of the bathing attire some guests insist on squeezing themselves into before lounging around motel swimming pools. Other criminal activity is thankfully restricted to petty theft from rooms and careless damage.
If you are looking for more serious motel-crime will need to venture overseas and in particular, America where motels seem to be regularly targeted. I suspect that the seedy reputation of motels in America go hand-in-hand with guests that are more likely to pay by cash.
A recent story in the LA Times of an attempted robbery foiled by martial arts experts caught my eye and luckily for voyeurs of motel crime, good quality security cameras are becoming more prevalent and footage can be easily distributed via social networks:
Tomahawk
