Waikato Police say the apprehension of a burglar following several complaints from the public about his driving shows just how valuable the public’s assistance can be and not only for keeping the roads safe.
District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace said at about 5.30pm yesterday a variety of Police units were responding to calls from the public about the manner in which a man was driving a Subaru car in Ngaruawahia.
“Officers came across the car containing four occupants on Great St Rd in Horotiu and attempted to stop it but the driver refused to pull over.
“He tried to get on to SH1/ Mangaharakeke Dr and drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid Police but our staff managed to stop the car and then caught the driver after he attempted to flee on foot.”
Mrs Grace said it wasn’t long before Police realised the 24-year-old forbidden driver was of interest for more than bad driving.
“As they processed him for excess breath alcohol and his failing to stop another complaint was linked to the car he was driving being involved in a collision on the nearby SH23 between Raglan and Hamilton.
“A further complaint linked a near collision with the man’s car being on the wrong side of the road in Ngaruawahia and the burglary of a home on Ngaruawahia’s Waipa Esplanade. A search of the car ended up in the recovery of a game consol, television and frozen meat taken in the burglary.”
Mrs Grace said as a result, the man faces a variety of driving and dishonesty related charges.
“Driving complaints are known as 1Us by Police and this man had been the subject of several by the time of his capture.
“Yesterday’s arrest highlights the value of the public seeing something and doing something and that something is ringing 111 to relay information in a timely and accurate manner. Over the Christmas holiday period Waikato Police received 1210 1U complaints from the public, the majority of which we were able to respond to.”
Mrs Grace said the number of 1U complaints received over the summer holiday period was steadily increasing as the public showed they were increasingly becoming less accepting of offending drivers.
“The figure of 1210 is 237 more than the number of driving complaints received for the 2014/15 Christmas holiday period which was more than the 803 1Us received in the Waikato over the 2013/14 holidays.
“This indicates to us that where as the public have bought into the message around roads being a social environment, offenders haven’t. We encourage the public to report offending not just on our roads but in our community as well by ringing 111 or *555 to report driving complaints. Your eyes and ears can help us reduce crime.”
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