As put by Manawatū Area Commander, Inspector Ross Grantham:
Back in June, the Central District Highway Patrol ran Operation Spider, focusing on anti-social driving behaviour in the industrial area of Mako Mako Road, Palmerston North.
As a result of this operation, Police identified 17 vehicles as undergoing sustained loss of traction, with 15 of those later impounded.
Police served the registered owners of those vehicles notices informing them they are obliged to advise Police of who was driving their car the night in question. Police were relatively pleased with the response, except for two people who failed to comply.
Those two were charged with failing to provide information about the driver, and have since appeared in Palmerston North District Court.
One pleaded guilty to two charges and is yet to be sentenced.
The second person pleaded not guilty to three charges, but was convicted and fined $500 plus court costs, as well as being ordered to pay $1000 in reparation to the Palmerston North City Council for road repairs.
Since June 2022, Council have spent over $150,000 on assessing and tidying the roads on 30 different occasions after nights of anti-social road use.
Police want to remind the public that if you are caught for this type of behaviour, as a driver or the registered owner of a vehicle, you will be held accountable for the damage caused to the roads.
