Police work is involving more tourists as it returns to the “old days” says a police media release.

The release said police work was becoming consistent with pre-Covid times and referred to an instance on Friday where a tourist couple had to be escorted from a plane due to being heavily intoxicated.

The statement also referred to a recent search and rescue instance after visitors were lost in the mountains.

“While a ‘new normal’ evolved out of the two years of pandemic measures, Rarotonga’s rapid increase in visitor numbers has since turned the clock back to familiar territory in terms of policing,” it said.

“This weekend, Police have warned tourists for speeding and recently attended two crashes where visitors have been involved. On Sunday, Police spoke to tourists, who were the subject of an alert because of two kayaks being sighted over the reef at Arorangi.

“A witness reported seeing one kayak capsized on the ocean side with the risk of paddlers being in distress.”

The release said tourists have also become the victims of burglary and theft, in some cases involving large amounts of cash being stolen.

Police have arrested one tourist, following a crash in Tupapa. The visitor will face a charge of careless driving causing injury.