Hawke's Bay police impound 35 cars in two weeks

One of the impounded vehicles. Photo / Eastern District Police

Police in Hawke's Bay have impounded 35 vehicles in a fortnight spent cracking down on "burnouts" and street-racing.

A statement says 12 of the vehicles were impounded "for this behaviour in the fortnight January 15-28", but further details about where offences were being committed and whether specific areas had been targeted were not provided by police.

"In addition to the impound, the vehicle is prohibited from use on a road again until a new warrant of fitness is achieved," the statement said.

"The repairs to roads cost the community and the community is telling us they are tired of this behaviour," the statement said.

"If it is safe for you to do so, capture the bad behaviour, preferably with a registration number visible, and send it to us so we investigate the behaviour.

While police had not disclosed areas where vehicles had been impounded, Facebook comments covered a wide area, from Waipawa, to East Clive, and from Twyford to "every intersection in Onekawa," with solutions from crushing the vehicles to providing "skid pads."

Ironically, none appeared to mention Flaxmere, where concerns were raised widely in November and December, leading to a Facebook poll by Flaxmere Ward Hastings district councillor Peleti Oli on whether enthusiasts wanted a skid pad, and ultimately a meeting with police.

His concerns had been raised by a flood of Facebook posts from people whose streets were striped with the residue of the burnouts and wheel spinning, including people whose parked vehicles had been hit by the offending racers.

Oli said at the meeting, he for the first time became aware of the work police were doing to discourage street-racing and burnouts in the neighbourhoods, so was not surprised by the latest information, that highlighted that police were taking action.

"I accept it's part of a phase young people go through," he said.

"You wouldn't find 70-year-olds doing burnouts, but you wouldn't find 12-year-olds doing it either. I don't have an answer, but now with people working together and people seeing that things are being done maybe there is answer."

As to the impact, he was contacted by one resident who had been concerned about one individual who had been a consistent offender in the area.

She told Oli: "Now he's disappeared."