A senior Hamilton Police officer says City residents have more to celebrate than just a new year, with a number of incidents over recent days showing community spirit is alive and well in the Waikato.
Hamilton Area Commander, Inspector Greg Nicholls, said the first positive occurred on the 19th of December when a postie on their round in the centre of the City spied a small black leather purse on the ground on Hood St and took it straight to the Hamilton Police Station.
"The purse had $146 in it but no ID but we were able to return it to its grateful owner who reported it missing.
"The next incident saw a person from Hamilton following behind a car notice an object fly from the vehicle as it crossed over a bridge in Whangamata on Thursday. The person stopped his car and gathered up the object, which turned out to be a wallet and $200-300 in cash and take it to Police."
Mr Nicholls said the owner of the wallet had inadvertently jammed it under a surfboard as he was tying it on to the roof of his car and the vibration as the car travelled along the road dislodged it.
"He was just on the other side of town, heading home to the Hawkes Bay when Police called to say his wallet had been found and was very appreciative when he met the person who had handed it in."
"Then on Saturday a woman from Frankton found a woman's purse on the ground on the corner of Tuhikaramea and Whatawhata Roads containing bank cards and over $420 in cash and handed it in to Police on Sunday."
Mr Nicholls said officers were able to return the purse to its grateful owner that evening.
"Too often we focus on a lot of bad things that happen and lose sight of the fact there are a lot of positives going on around us every day.
"The actions of Good Samaritan's in each case is to be commended and we hope that this good will is set to continue and the public carry on assisting Police in preventing victims of crime and road trauma in our region."
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