Kia ora Wanaka.

We greet you with the unfortunate news that we are back to Level 2 lockdown. This does mean some undesirable restrictions for us all, but it is important that we all follow the rules. Police will be out and about assisting with the message.

On Tuesday there was a theft from New World, which was followed by a second visit on Wednesday by the same person. We expect they will have a date with us in the coming days.

There was a noticeable increase in motorcycle traffic, travelling across the country due to the Burt Munro Festival in Invercargill. We were pleased to see that there were no accidents involving those motorcycles and welcomed the extra visitors to town.

On Wednesday a car worthy of retirement was stopped in Wanaka. The vehicle has been decorated with bright pink and blue official stickers ordering it off the road, and some contraband was seized from the driver.

On Friday a vehicle crashed off State Highway 6 near The Neck, travelling some 20m down a bank. It was fortunately spotted by a passing helicopter, as it was not visible from the road. Thankfully the sole occupant removed themselves and hiked out. A lucky escape!

Saturday evening saw police conducting a breath testing checkpoint in Cardrona. Sadly, not everyone was adhering to the rules, with one person driving while disqualified, and another over the alcohol limit. Both will be off to court in the coming weeks.

On Saturday night police attended an incident at Lala Land where a person had climbed on to the roof, quote “looking for a view”. Unfortunately, these were the actions of someone under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The weekend was busy dealing with several unfortunate scenarios involving mental health. It reminds us to be compassionate with others and to not let friends slip through the cracks when times are tough for them. If you or anyone needs support, the Mental Health Crisis Team can be reached on 0800 46 78 46.

Kia pai tō koutou rā Wanaka Police