KEY POINTS:
Disgruntled beach residents have booby-trapped sand dunes to discourage motorcyclists trying to access the area, police say.
Constable Ian Hamblyn, of Foxton Beach, said police had received several reports in the last week about boards containing nails as long as 15cm placed on tracks through the dunes leading to the forest there.
Police believed they were placed by local residents unhappy with motorcyclists accessing the forest through these tracks and were intended to pierce tyres.
The sand dunes are between Hokio beach and the Hydrabad wreck south of Waitarere beach in Horowhenua.
Mr Hamblyn said a spokesperson from the privately owned forest said vehicles were not welcome there, particularly motorcycles which damaged the tracks, were considered a fire hazard and interfered with organisations which had legitimate access.
Placing the boards posed a serious risk to public safety and was a serious offence under the Crimes Act, carrying a maximum penalty of five years' jail, he said.
- NZPA
