Kia ora Wānaka.

Our week began with follow-up enquiries to successfully identify and charge a driver who managed to park his car on top of a barrier arm and some bushes at the Lakeview Holiday Park. It was a lesson in many things, but we will start with clearing your windscreen from ice before you drive.

Also, in the early hours of Monday morning an intoxicated clown wearing a road cone, flung said road cone into a shop on Ardmore Street. Thankfully good CCTV footage quickly identified the culprit and the court will see that they make amends for their actions.

The same night a burglary was reported in a local business downtown.

Monday night saw us taking one drink driver off the road for the night. A case of after work drinks extending too far.

On Tuesday we saw something that grinds everyone’s gears; when someone crashes into your parked car but doesn’t leave a note. Thankfully the eye in the sky caught this one and the cost will definitely be on them. Honesty pays.

Later that day we did a checkpoint for intoxicated drivers on State Highway 6, which nabbed another driver over the limit.

On Wednesday police attended a crash near the airport where a vehicle was trying to overtake a slow-moving tractor. Thankfully no one was injured, but it was an incident that could’ve been prevented with a bit more patience.

During the week police also identified a person who has been targeting our grocery stores for shoplifting, the most recent being on Sunday. They don’t know it yet, but they will be receiving a visit from police shortly.

On Saturday night a bar patron left a bar and found the nearest bicycle and took it to make his way home. What he didn’t realise was that our officers were watching it unfold and after following him up Ardmore Street, he was out of gas and busted. When you’re drinking, plan your way home. Your OWN way home.

Finally on Sunday there was a very close call where a pedestrian entering their vehicle on the roadside was nearly struck by a passing vehicle. The door was collected by the vehicle but thankfully not the pedestrian. A passer-by had the good sense to follow the offending vehicle which didn’t stop after the incident, and police have since identified them.

There has been a flurry of driver’s licence suspensions issued this week. These have been courtesy of excess demerit points. It’s a good reminder that there are consequences for traffic tickets if you make it a habit. One Hundred demerit points within a two-year period will result in a three month suspension, but on the plus side riding a bike is good for your health.

The last trend we’ve noticed this week is the race to the mountain that happens every morning. We remind skiers and the like to not rush and make it up the hill safely. Expect to see police patrols monitoring speeds.

Stay safe out there.