Police Snippets

Belt up
August is the official month for another police campaign, targeting drivers and passengers who are travelling in vehicles without wearing safety-belts.

Local officer Constable Dale Wewege says Mangawhai appears to have a relaxed attitude when it comes to safety-belt use.

“A large amount of people being hurt or killed in car accidents involves passengers and drivers not wearing safety-belts,” he says. “Even if you’re in the back seat, you could still become a projectile if there is an accident and seriously hurt a passenger in the front seat.”

Drivers are responsible for any young passengers under 15 years old in their vehicle and are liable to be fined $150 if young travellers are not wearing a safety-belt. Passengers 15 years and over who are not belted up will be issued the fine.

“And just because the campaign runs through August does not mean you don’t use seatbelts once the month is over,” Wewege warns.

Stop, thief!
Police are asking for anyone who knows the identity of the young chocolate thief (pictured) to please contact them. The youth was caught on camera stealing a whole container of the mixed bars from Mangawhai Head’s takeaway shop, Stingray Matts, on July 30.

Pump pinched
A waterpump of undefined description was stolen from Tomarata Lakes on the weekend of July 15 after thieves ‘jimmied’ the pumphouse door open. Please contact local police with any information.

Not closing
Constable Wewege can also confirm that Warkworth and Wellsford Police stations are not closing down, despite concern discussed recently on Mangawhai’s social media pages.

- REPORTING/Julia Wade