Across Waipa, Te Awamutu and Cambridge Police have definitely been kept busy this week.
Senior Constable Deb Hann – On the Beat
In the police we have a saying, ‘see something, do something’. It is something we would like our community to embrace also. At the risk of repeating myself, we need you to phone 111 at the time you see offending in progress.
One night last week, offenders did burnouts in a stolen ute on Victoria street in the Cambridge CBD before abandoning it. Despite CCTV showing several cars driving through and even around the vehicle while it did so, no calls were made to police. In related offending, other stolen cars, most with smashed windscreens and all with broken quarterlight or side windows had been dumped at locations in Leamington. Again, there was a delay in police being notified, despite busy morning foot and vehicle traffic.
If you see something of this nature, do not assume others are phoning us about it, please make a call yourself. The sooner we recover stolen cars, the better the forensics – with the ideal scenario being that we find them when the thieves are still driving them around.
With school holidays underway, it is common for there to be an increase in children using the roads especially on bikes, scooters and skateboards. Please be extra vigilant when commuting, as children can be unpredictable in their behaviour and are not always road-wise. If your child is out and about, ensure age-appropriate supervision.
There are several holiday programmes running across the district as one option for younger children. We often see an increase in reports of disorderly behaviour and petty shop theft by roaming youth in school holidays. We understand that young people can get caught up in things that they wouldn’t normally do, when out with their friends. Please help your young people make good decisions these holidays.
If you are heading away, ensure your car is safe and up to warrant of fitness standard. Allow plenty of time for your journey and be patient. Check the NZ Transport Agency – Waka Kotahi website for real time traffic and travel information. If driving long distances, take regular breaks and share the driving when possible, keep to the speed limit and drive to the road conditions.
We want everyone to have a relaxing, incident-free holiday and to get home safely at the end of it.
