Northland police have being busy at checkpoints stopping motorists crossing into the region. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland police have being busy at checkpoints stopping motorists crossing into the region. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Rare goose eggs and a broken shower in need of repair are some of the creative excuses motorists have attempted in order pass through police checkpoints into Northland.
Officers have turned away a number of vehicles at checkpoints located on the intersection of State Highways 1 and 12 in the Brynderwyns; at Mountain Rd in Kaiwaka; and on Cove Rd by Bream Tail Rd.
A woman from Auckland told officers at Mountain Rd she was on a tight deadline to deliver very rare goose eggs to someone located 30km on the northern side of the checkpoint.
A man at a different checkpoint said he needed to fix a shower - 92km north of the checkpoint. While another man tried to argue that he needed to buy puppy food from Wellsford.
More serious offending was nabbed at the SH1 checkpoint with the arrest of a 46-year-old man wanted for an alleged aggravated robbery in Auckland back in February.
He was arrested at a checkpoint in Waipū Cove in the early hours of Saturday morning after police noticed the smell of cannabis coming from the man's stopped vehicle.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kevan Verry said a search of the vehicle revealed evidence of methamphetamine production.
The man appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Monday charged with possession of cannabis, possession of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine utensils.
He was also charged over an aggravated robbery in Counties Manukau earlier this year.
Verry said the man was remanded in custody and police enquiries into the items located inside the vehicle continued.
On Thursday, a 21-year-old man was nabbed at the SH1 checkpoint at the Brynderwyns after officers searched his vehicle.
He appeared in the Whangārei District Court on Thursday charged with unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of an offensive weapon and breaching the Health Act 1956.
Away from the checkpoints, police continued to deal with people refusing to wear coverings while out and about at supermarkets and petrol stations.
Face masks became mandatory for people aged 12 and over when accessing essential services after a rule change on August 18. People are required to wear a face covering on public transport.
People with a disability or health condition meaning they cannot wear a face covering safely or comfortably were exempt from the law, and are still able to access essential services.
On Monday morning police escorted a woman from Pak'n Save Kaitaia who had become extremely obstructive after she refused to wear a face mask while shopping and was told to leave by security.
It's not the first time police have had trouble with people refusing to wear masks at Pak'nSave Kaitaia.
A 44-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were arrested on August 19 who refused to wear masks at the supermarket and had behaved threateningly towards staff.
In a separate incident, a couple were arrested overnight in Kaitaia on August 24 for failing to wear masks at a local petrol station.
The woman allegedly coughed over an intervening police officer, before assaulting another.
Since alert level 4 restrictions began and 5pm on Sunday, 107 people have been charged nationwide with a total of 115 offences - 15 of which in Northland.
During the same period 293 people were warned for 295 offences – 109 for Failing to Comply with Order (Covid 19), 101 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction and 85 for Health Act Breaches.
Since 19 August police have issued 2179 infringements across the country - the majority of which for failing to remain at a person's current home. More than 140 infringement notices have been issued in Northland.
