Illegal street racers targeted in WBOP

File photo.

A number of vehicles have been busted doing speeds of up to 150km/h on the Tauranga Eastern Link.

A 17-year-old has also been charged following an operation targeting illegal street racing and anti-social driving behaviour in the Western Bay of Plenty.

The operation was carried out in the weekend following concerns around illegal street racing in several communities in the area.

The operation took place on Saturday night and Sunday morning between the hours of 9pm and 4am and involved staff from the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and a NZTA vehicle inspector, says Sergeant Scott Merritt.

Police witnessed vehicles travelling at speeds of up to 150km/h on the Tauranga Eastern Link and congregating at Old Coach Road doing burnouts and engaging in other anti-social behaviour.

Checkpoints were put in place around the Pongawaka area.

Scott says this type of behaviour is incredibly disappointing.

'This type of high risk behaviour puts the drivers and other road users in significant danger.”

Among those charged was a 17-year-old for doing a wheelie on Marine Parade, says Scott.

"This isn't a case of young people having fun, they are a danger to themselves and others.

'We want to assure the community that we take their concerns and road safety very seriously.”

Enquiries are ongoing to locate further vehicles identified committing illegal street racing offences.

People with information can contact Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300.

Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line.

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7 comments

Squash em

Posted on 16-04-2018 08:03 | By About that

For those boy racer clowns, crushing cars is a great deterant. Most of their cars usually have finance owing on them so crushing them leaves to boy racer a heavy bill and no car and often they cannot afford another car while paying off their squashed one and keeps them off the road.


giving people the impression modified drivers are “hoon’s”

Posted on 16-04-2018 10:56 | By 94lux

yes a few people do immature or dangerous things look at concerts , clubbing , same as in the work place, you cant give all modified drivers bad name over a couple of immature /lead booters no doubt ones who get caught drive like that often you will find it is more of a case that the police are better informed and are waiting for it to happen as they know drivers will be going past..as far as street racing i have been following along to meets and events with large amounts of heavilymodified cars .it is very rare do you see them racing as such and if you do it is typically the kid in a bone stock car apart from a pod filter trying to show off . if burnouts are an issue the coucil should take proposals for a skid pad into more consideration


Squashing cars?

Posted on 16-04-2018 11:44 | By Fonzie

I think I read that only a couple of cars have been squashed under Crusher Collins law All talk and no walk


@ 94lux

Posted on 16-04-2018 12:01 | By P0INT BLANK

And who pays for this skid pad? Me as a tax/rates payer? Or will you guys fund it yourselves?


Harmless Fun???

Posted on 16-04-2018 12:35 | By Liposesa

Full praise for the Police operation. Just needs to happen more often. The offenders parents and grand parents addresses should be revealed so we can head around there in the middle of the night, do a few skids, dump rubbish and destroy public property. Harmless fun as they keep claiming....


No sympathy!

Posted on 16-04-2018 20:17 | By kinakat

For any of the idiots who participate in putting other innocent road users lives in jeopardy. Who the hell do they think they are speeding on our roads at 150kms an hour. Absolutely send their cars away to be crushed.


AGREE

Posted on 17-04-2018 05:53 | By old trucker

By Fonzie, thats cool man, agree with you all the way, there was a photo on the computer 2 weeks ago of Victoria Police CRUSHING cars all near new, THEY (the Police have had ENOUGH and did this because of what they were doing,was there not a CRUSHER a few yrs back on TV that if you CRUSHED YOUR CAR you could win a Brand new one, that it (the car was put in one end and it was CRUSHED flat as it rolled out the other end, this should be taken out on these nights and USED, i am SURE this would make a DENT,there is a time and place for everything,GOSH i do not know how they can AFFORD to do this SCREWING around,it MUST be hard on all the running gear,my thoughts only on this, but agree with FONZIE and By Bassist,Thankyou, 10-4.outphew.


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