Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police are reminding motorists that regardless of a pending shift in Alert levels, there are still requirements to cross Auckland’s boundaries.
Overall, most people have the correct documentation with them when arriving at one of the checkpoints set up.
These checkpoints are in place to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and Police ask motorists to be patient when they arrive at these locations so our checks can be carried out.
There are still instances where people are presenting at these checkpoints without a permitted reason to cross the boundary.
At around 2.40am, a vehicle was stopped at the Mercer checkpoint intending on travelling south out of Auckland.
The driver claimed he was transiting through Auckland to the Waikato region, however after Police spoke to him it was found not to be the case.
While at the checkpoint, another man was found hiding in the car’s boot.
Both men, aged 25 and 26, were issued with infringement notices.
Police are still noticing some motorists travelling at excessive speed at the boundary checkpoints that have been set up.
Police remind motorists that temporary speed limits are in place at these checkpoints for the safety of all road users, as well as our staff operating these checkpoints.
Enforcement action is available to Police and infringement notices have been issued to motorists found to be travelling in excess of the temporary limits.
This includes one incident where a man was stopped at one of the northern checkpoints in the early hours of Monday morning.
He presented appropriate documentation and was free to go, but then chose to accelerate aggressively and was detected driving over 90km/h leaving the checkpoint.
This could have been an uneventful journey for him, but instead he found himself being issued with several infringement notices.
Elsewhere, Police arrested a man yesterday following an investigation into cowardly assault on a customer at a Pukekohe supermarket on Sunday 19th September.
The alleged offender was abusive and threatening towards staff and customers after being asked to wear a mask while inside the shop.
He then allegedly punched a 70-year-old male customer in the face, threatened staff and left prior to Police arrival.
The elderly victim was shaken but did not require medical treatment, while other customers and staff were also shaken by the aggressive behaviour of the man. Police have been liaising with and supporting the victims involved following this incident.
A 20-year-old man has been charged in relation to assault, threatening behaviour, driving while disqualified and failing to comply with the Health Order and was due to appear in the Pukekohe District Court today.
Checkpoint figures:
As of 11.59pm yesterday, a total of 196,193 vehicles have now been stopped at the 10 checkpoints on Auckland’s northern and southern boundaries since 11.59pm on 31 August.
A total of 2,432 vehicles have been turned around during this time.
15,854 vehicles were processed at the checkpoints yesterday while only 146 vehicles were turned around.
A total of 34 vehicles were turned away at the Northern checkpoints yesterday while 112 vehicles were turned around at the Southern checkpoints.
As at 11.59pm September 20, 2,800 heavy vehicles have been stopped and 172 of them have been turned around attempting to leave Tāmaki Makaurau.
47 of those vehicles were turned around yesterday.
Tāmaki Makaurau compliance update:
Since Alert Level 4 came into place, in Tāmaki Makaurau 87 people have been charged with a total of 91 offences as at 5pm yesterday (20 September 2021).
Of these, 74 are for Failing to Comply with Order (COVID-19), 14 for Failure to Comply with Direction/Prohibition/Restriction, one for Failing to Stop (Covid 19-related), and two for Assaults/Threatens/Hinders/Obstructs Enforcement Officer.
In the same time period, 189 people were formally warned for a range of offences.
To date, Police have received a total of 9,989 105-online breach notifications relating to businesses, mass gatherings or people in Tāmaki Makaurau.
ENDS
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
