Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, December 11, 2023
Operation Shadow was a Police operation focusing on activity in Hamilton City and the wider Waikato region, targeting illegal street-racing offenders. One such event in the Hamilton City area was successfully quashed by the Police on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
There were seven arrests made for excess breath alcohol, two for disorder, one for driving while suspended, one for a breach of home detention, and another for an existing warrant for arrest.
Inspector Will Loughrin, Hamilton City Area Commander said, “Police have issued more than 200 infringement notices and made 12 arrests after more than 1,000 anti-social road users blocked roads and exhibited unsafe driving behaviours across Waikato overnight on Saturday.”
Unsafe behaviour
In addition to the 220 traffic infringements, several infringement notices to bystanders who were consuming alcohol within liquor ban areas. Three people had their licenses suspended.
Inspector Loughrin said that officers observed several unsafe behaviours.
“There were numerous instances of people blocking intersections, both pedestrians and vehicles. A number of vehicles with no number plates and people wearing balaclavas in direct attempts to hide their identities, and people were seen hanging out of windows of cars driving at speed.”
While it was pleasing that the gatherings of people and vehicles dispersed upon Police attendance, Inspector Loughrin said their behaviour was incredibly concerning and put countless people at risk.
There are even a few videos on social media showing footage of a young man being flung through the air after he was struck by a car skidding at the illegal street meet. However, a confirmation from the authorities is still awaited on the contents of the video which shows thousands of people lighting fireworks among cars doing burnouts and drifting dangerously on city streets on Saturday night.
Alarming incident
Alarmingly, attending Police found a baby in one of the vehicles driven by a group of teenagers believed to have travelled from out of the district.
The vehicle was subsequently impounded. As well as the baby found in a vehicle, there were many people in attendance with children.
“We know the community is sick and tired of this behaviour and people who needlessly put others at risk,” Inspector Loughrin said.
“We want to send a message to anyone involved in this type of behaviour that the Police will work incredibly hard to hold you to account for any illegal activity, either at the time or after the fact.”
It was not just illegal street racing that officers came across. A disorder involving those taking part in this activity resulted in two people being stabbed on State Highway 27 in the Matamata area, shortly after 12.30 am.
Police are making follow-up enquiries into the circumstances of this incident and will be utilising tools such as CCTV, and other information gathered at the time, to follow up on any other criminal offending.
Police have appealed to anyone with information on illegal or unsafe activity to report this to Police via 105 with as much detail as possible.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
