Police put end to 3-day party

A drunken teenage party in Alexandra that lasted three days was finally shut down by police yesterday.

One neighbour, Donna Shortland, contacted the Otago Daily Times after three sleepless nights in a row because of young teenagers partying across the road in Marslin St.

"I've probably had 10 hours' sleep in total," she said.

Bottles were smashed on the road and left on front lawns, and neighbours were abused when they tried to find out what was going on.

"I called 111 three times and the noise control ... they were driving round with people on the bonnets of their cars, tearing up and down the street," Ms Shortland said.

The party started on Thursday night and did not stop until about 12.45am yesterday, when police sent the partygoers home. However, no charges were laid because there was no proof of wrongdoing.

Constable Mike Colligan said police received many calls and visited the scene several times, but when they arrived there was no evidence of fighting or under-age drinking on the street - "just the usual teenagers full of booze".

The previous weekend police shut down a party of drunk teenagers in Schaumann Rd, and a 17-year-old youth was charged with assaulting a police officer and escaping from custody.

The same weekend, about 15 young people decided to have a party in Pioneer Park on Saturday afternoon, but because they were all over 18, they were legally allowed to drink there, Constable Colligan said.

"They had their sleeping bags and a huge amount of booze, but legally were not doing anything wrong."

When spoken to by police, the young people said they chose to stop in Alexandra for a party because it was one of the only remaining places without a bylaw banning liquor in public places.

Ms Shortland said the problems in her street started two years ago, when some houses were turned into rental properties for young people.

"Some of them are only about 16. It's gone on for too long. Something needs to be done."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES