Hello to all the good Wānaka folk. I hope the Easter Bunny delivered a sufficiency of chocolate goodies to you all.

It is good news that we are in the orange setting and with the border opening allowing those long overdue overseas visitors to come and appreciate our fair area and town. I hope that the businesses that have been holding on can now reap the benefits of the change in circumstances for the better after a long drought.

You may have seen us out and about conducting our alcohol checkpoints around the town. Unfortunately, we caught a couple of drivers over the limit who will be facing court in the coming weeks.

We also attended a crash near Luggate after a cyclist got the speed wobbles coming down the hill. Ambulance attended and medical attention was administered with the person receiving some minor injuries.

Police also attended a single vehicle crash by The Neck where a driver fell asleep and crashed into the rock face, spinning around before coming to a stop facing the wrong way. He was okay but gave a breath result of nearly four times the legal limit.

Alcohol is still playing a part in many of the jobs attended by police including a couple of family harm events this week which saw one person arrested for assault and heading to court.

Speaking of alcohol it seems we have begun the annual Wānaka “who’s this person in my house” game. The participants are usually people who go out and allow themselves to become inebriated zombies and forget where their accommodation is. They are then located in spare bedrooms, kitchens or on the sofa in the lounge of random houses. This can cause the house owner a great deal of angst and confusion. A way to combat this is lock your doors. I know this goes against all local customs and traditions in Wānaka but trust me this is the best way to prevent these random visitors.

We still have a vast amount of lost property in the station which we would love to reacquaint with its lawful owners. Phones are a big item so if you have lost yours call in as we may have it here and can reconnect you to the world.

We will be continuing our push for safer roads with more checkpoints and road police enforcement in the area over the coming weeks. So, if you don’t want to get a bill from the Crown, slow down, don’t use your phone while driving, wear your seat belt and ensure you are driving in a respectful manner. Also don’t park on the island or broken yellow lines outside the Doughbin, I’m watching you.

So, until next time have a great week and stay safe Wānaka.