Police target antisocial road users on Matariki weekend

Rotorua road users without warrants or registrations for their vehicles drove into trouble on Saturday night with police stops set up at all main entry points to the city.

Operation Vendico was rolled out to stop antisocial road users doing ”skids or racing,” Inspector Phil Gillbanks said.

Police said their focus was to “disrupt and prevent a mass of antisocial road users from using our roading network as their playground”.

Four vehicles were impounded and 14 green stickers, ordering vehicles off the road, with two drivers receiving multiple tickets for failing to comply with directions.

Twelve vehicles were either pink or green stickered due to compliance issues, and one person was arrested for alleged disorderly behaviour.

“More importantly we have also prevented a young person or persons getting killed or seriously injured as a result,” Gillbanks said.

Part of the operation was to frustrate “those intending to take part in the illegal activity”, Gillbanks said.

“Rotorua is full of tourists and locals enjoying Matariki weekend and the last thing we want is this kind of activity making people feel unsafe, and not want to return to our corner of the world,” Gillbanks said.

Three people were arrested, seven summonsed for driving with excess breath alcohol and one licence suspended while 163 infringement notices were issued.

“It is clear we do not want antisocial road users here, and we will continue to act until that message sinks in,“ Gillbanks said.

Similar operations took place in other parts of the country this weekend.

The Eagle helicopter was deployed in the lower North Island and police responded to gatherings in Wellington, Canterbury, and Auckland on Saturday night.

In Wellington, police issued 138 infringements, breathalysed 420 people and took 19 vehicles off the streets.