Police and military personnel operating a checkpoint. File photo / Dean Purcell
A driver and a man found hiding in the boot of his car were turned away by police at a checkpoint on Auckland's southern boundary.
About 2.40am today the car was stopped at the Mercer checkpoint as it tried to leave Auckland.
The driver claimed he was transiting through Auckland to the Waikato region. That was found not to be the case, police said.
Another man was found hiding in the car boot. The men, aged 25 and 26, were issued with infringement notices.
Yesterday, a man was issued with several infringement notices after speeding from a northern checkpoint.
"He presented appropriate documentation and was free to go, but then chose to
accelerate aggressively and was detected driving over 90km/h leaving the
checkpoint," police said.
More than 2400 cars have been turned away from 196,193 stopped at 10 checkpoints along Auckland's northern and southern boundaries since August 31.
Police turned around about 140 yesterday.
Thirty-four vehicles were turned away at northern checkpoints and 112 were turned around at southern checkpoints.
As at September 20, 2800 heavy vehicles have been stopped and 172 of them have been turned around trying to leave Tāmaki Makaurau.
Forty-seven of those were turned around yesterday.
A man is facing a number of charges after allegedly assaulting a Pukekohe supermarket shopper on Sunday when he was told to wear a mask inside.
The 20-year-old is accused of being "abusive and threatening towards staff and customers" and of punching a man, aged 70, in the face. Police say he left before they arrived.
"The elderly victim was shaken but did not require medical treatment. Other customers and staff were also shaken by the aggressive behaviour of the man," police said.
Police called the alleged assault "cowardly".
The man has been charged in relation to assault, threatening behaviour, driving while disqualified and failing to comply with the Health Order and was due to appear in the Pukekohe District Court today.
Police have charged 87 people and formally warned 189 others for a range of offences since Auckland moved into alert level 4.
Those facing charges have been accused of 91 offences - most for failing to comply with the Covid-19 Order.
Fourteen people have been charged with failure to comply with direction, prohibition, and/or restriction, one with failing to stop (Covid 19-related), and two for assaulting or threatening an enforcement officer.
To date, police have received almost 10,000 105-online breach notifications relating to businesses, mass gatherings or people in Auckland.
'It’s been a tough year and now we feel like we can breathe.'