'We don't want to start a war': Hobsonville Point resident gets fake parking notice

The fake note, purporting to be from Auckland Council & Auckland Transport, warned "this is not your parking space!!!" and that the owner of the car would be facing a penalty charge. Photo / Supplied

A resident of Auckland's Hobsonville Point has said he doesn't want a "neighbour's war" after finding a fake parking notice on his car.

The note, purporting to be from Auckland Council and Auckland Transport, warned "this is not your parking space!!!" and that the owner of the car would be facing a penalty charge.

Auckland Transport spokesman Mark Hannan confirmed to the Herald that the notice was fake, adding that they would only take action if a vehicle was parked illegally or it wasn't parked safely.

Speaking to the Herald, the car's owner said he was "kind of flustered" when he first saw the note.

The note left on the man's car. Photo / Supplied

"I thought it could be legit but then I thought I've been parking here for the last four or five months and I've got a newborn baby, I'm not going to move. It's open for everyone."

"We've got two cars and obviously I put Mum in the drive because she's the one dealing with baby the most."

The man added that he initially thought he was targeted because of his car, a Mercedes AMG: "it's quite a flash car."

Asked whether jealousy might be a motivating factor he said: "I kind of thought that. Not trying to sound like an ego guy but I've got quite a big following on social media."

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With cameras now focused on the street he stated that if he caught the perpetrator, he would "definitely make some noise" but wouldn't threaten them.

"Because I'm quite heavily tattooed and I can be quite overwhelming for some people so I would be very mature about it but I'd definitely give them a fright if I caught them red-handed because you can't touch people's property like that."

He hoped for an amicable ending to the dispute and was planning to speak to neighbours along the street: "We don't want to start a neighbour's war"

Residents were quick to comment on Facebook, with one disgruntled local saying that the note was "next level petty" and asking "how hateful have you got to be to go to this length."

An Auckland Transport spokesman told the Herald that parking in Hobsonville Point is "generally" not an issue.

However, he reminded Aucklanders that they do not own the space outside their property and recommended that anyone who thought a vehicle was parked illegally contact their 24-hour hotline on 09 355 3553.