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Police caught five people trying to raid the Dairy Flat liquor store last week, thanks to a sharp-eyed member of the public. Senior Sergeant Brett Henshaw said the group travelled to the rural community from Auckland city in a stolen vehicle.
“A member of public saw the burglary in progress, and quickly alerted Police who, with the aid of our helicopter and dog unit, apprehended all five,” he said. “They are now before the court with bail conditions imposed, including night-time curfews, to reduce their activities.”
Senior Sgt Henshaw added that planning was well underway for summer policing throughout the Hibiscus and Rodney areas, including its alcohol impairment team – better known as booze buses – that will be out in force.
“Staff will be following the mantra ‘every driver to be breath tested when stopped’,” he warned.
He also reminded people to take extra care in securing their vehicles and homes over the holidays.
“We will see an influx of opportunist thieves as numbers swell in the summer break, so people need to reduce the chance for them to strike by having good security practices around their home and vehicles,” he said.
Silverdale Fire Station has had a busy time of it in recent weeks, with diverse callouts, including a house fire in Ōrewa last week (see story this page), a serious head-on collision just north of Puhoi on State Highway 1 on December 7 and an accident on Whangaparāoa Road the same day, where a scooter rider lost control and crashed after riding through a swarm of bees.
Senior Station Officer Jim Maclean urged drivers to take extra care this holiday season.
“In these fraught times, a bit of extra care on the roads is not a bad idea!” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by St John’s territory manager for Rodney, Jason Bennett, who said the festive season was the busiest time of year for ambulance crews, with an increase in car crashes and water incidents, many of which could have been avoided by people taking more care.
He also stressed the importance of being aware of and caring for whanau, friends and others who may be feeling extra-fragile after a long year of anxieties and pressure.
“The Christmas and New Year period can be a tough time for people with financial problems or those who live alone,” he said. “Our ambulance staff see an increase in patients presenting with mental health problems around this time, so please check on those who are vulnerable.”
Finally, Fire & Emergency NZ reminds anyone wanting to light a campfire or burn anything outdoors this summer to check what fire restrictions are in place before going ahead at www.checkitsalright.nz
