Auckland - Waikato Police border checks, on Mangatawhiri Rd / Koheroa Rd. Photo / Michael Craig
Auckland - Waikato Police border checks, on Mangatawhiri Rd / Koheroa Rd. Photo / Michael Craig
Fewer than 4 per cent of drivers have been turned away at police checkpoints across Auckland's southern border since everywhere south of the city moved to alert level 3.
Of the 3059 vehicles stopped at five checkpoints, just 114 were turned away.
Among those were two men stopped at the Mercer checkpoint. They provided an excuse that they wanted to head to Hamilton to buy facemasks, but police "pointed out there were a number of local places near their home where they could do so and they were turned around".
The southbound checkpoint at the State Highway 1 off ramp near Mercer turned away the most vehicles at 49.
"These numbers show that by and large our community are doing the right thing and only carrying out essential travel and we want to thank the public for their cooperation," said police commissioner Andrew Coster.
Some drivers were given warnings for undertaking non-essential travel and breaching the current restrictions in place, police said.
Non-essential travel included some people trying to leave Auckland to buy takeaways, or to pick up items purchased online.
Northland is moving into alert level 3 from tonight.
Police will be establishing a number of checkpoints at Auckland's northern border early this evening.
"Northland Police will continue to be highly visible and operate checkpoints and random stops inside their district, however they will no longer be at the three fixed checkpoints locations that have been operating for the past week," Coster said.
Northern Auckland checkpoints:
• SH1/Mangawhai Rd (Twin Coast Discovery Highway) • Mangawhai Rd / north of Coal Hill Rd • Black Swamp, west of Rako Rd • Mangawhai Rd and Cames Rd • Mangawhai Rd and Ryan Rd Southern Auckland checkpoints:
• SH1/Mercer off ramp – southbound traffic • SH1/Oram Rd – northbound traffic • Mangatawhiri Rd/SH2 • East Coast Rd – Waharau Regional Park • SH22/Pukekawa-Churchill Rd and Logan Rd
155 people have been charged with a total of 166 offences nationwide since lockdown was enforced on August 19.
Of the charges filed, the most - 107 - are for Failing to Comply with Order (covid-19). Others include breaching the Health Act and assaulting an enforcement officer.
In the same time period, 429 people were warned for 432 offences.
Police have issued 2927 infringements nationwide, with almost all of them issued under the previous Health Order.
77 have been issued since the new Health Order came into force yesterday. Most of these infringements were for people leaving home other than for essential movement.
