Armourguard hybrid car stuck on Devonport Beach irks residents

Armourguard security officers try in vain to get a fleet car off Devonport Beach. The car was eventually towed. Photo / Supplied

An Armourguard security officer who drove his car onto Devonport Beach and got it stuck, faces reprimand for the action.

Annoyed residents photographed the incident this morning after the driver spent at least two hours trying to get the Toyota Prius C out of the sand.

A resident who did not want to be named said the drama unfolded about 7.30am when the driver went onto the beach on Auckland's North Shore.

She claims the driver told a passerby he was trying to turn around, however the woman said there was plenty of room above the beach on hard ground to manoeuvre.

"They needed to drive down a 50 metre pavement to get onto the beach. They are a law unto themselves and often drive like this," the resident said.

"The Armourguard driver seemed to think it was quite a joke - took them at least two hours to work out they needed to call a tow truck to get them out, just in time."

The Armourguard car parked on the pavement shows no need for a car to be driven onto Devonport Beach to turn around. Photo / Supplied

In that period the tide had begun to lap at the rear of the car.

"A local got his tow rope to try and help but they had revved the engine so badly they had dug themselves in up to the chassis.

"Locals are fed up and a bit dismayed that these idiots are responsible for our safety after hours."

Armourguard senior supervisor of operations and patrols, Ron Martin, said he was awaiting a report on the incident from a night driver.

"It's only just been released off the beach and back on the run."

He said he had no idea why the car was driven onto the beach.

"That's not the way we normally go and open the [public] toilets. They're opening up the toilets on the reserve.

"There's two in the middle of the paddock by the beach," Martin said.

The tide crept in as an Armourguard driver tried to get his stuck Toyota Prius C hybrid off Devonport Beach. Photo / Supplied

"We normally walk down from the road, on the footpath. I don't know why he was on the beach.

"But we shall be remonstrating with that fella."

A tow truck had to be called, a cost which would be passed onto the driver and his boss, Martin said.

A Toyota Prius C is a hybrid petrol and electrical engine, which if driven into salt water could cause major damage to the engine.