Canterbury Police issued 380 speeding tickets following a major boy racing operation in weekend

Lyttelton Police and staff from the central Police Anti-Social Road Users Section conducted a road policing operation to detect and deter “boy racer” activity.

Sergeant Gerard Peoples from the Lyttelton Police said marked patrol cars were used to deter activity in some areas and unmarked patrol cars and static observation posts were used to video record, intercept and then prosecute drivers.

“I want to impress upon offending drivers that even if they don’t see police in the area that they may still be recorded and may then be stopped by an unmarked car when they leave the area or get a door knock days later and receive an impoundment notice and summons. Paranoia is the best prevention.”

“Overall it was a pretty quiet weekend. Happy to be proved wrong, but there seems to be less boy racer activity around than a few months ago.”

Police had several units patrolling Sumner, Redcliffs, Heathcote, Lyttelton, the various bays through to Diamond Harbour and over Gebbies Pass to the Motukarara area.

Sergeant Gerard Peoples said a police static point observing Naval Point paid off with the impoundment of a car the driver charged with Sustained Loss of Traction after a pretty prolonged burnout.

“Quite a few speeding tickets were issued including 79 in Cass Bay, 91 on Bridle Path Road, 81 in the tunnel (all 50kph areas) and 129 on Tunnel Road.”

Sergeant Peoples said “some tickets were issued to local residents which was a bit disappointing. I sometimes see FB posts of local people complaining about getting speeding tickets.”

“The law of physics doesn’t discern between a “boy racer” and a mum and dad driver. If you speed, you’re more likely to crash and the impact will be greater on you and/or others.”