Residents are fed up with boy racers damaging roads in Dargaville.
Dargaville locals have been left “terrified and frustrated” over boy racers repeatedly doing burnouts and drag racing, with some residents deciding to leave town.
A dad, who asked not to be named citing safety reasons, said the level of crime was “out of control” and a reason why his family of four have decided to sell their house and move elsewhere.
“We just don’t know what to do. Everyone including my wife and me is terrified,” said the dad of two daughters.
Northland Roading Policing Manager Inspector Anne-Marie Fitchett said they are concerned about the anti-social driving behaviour and the danger it poses in the Dargaville area.
The dad’s family has been living in the town for nine years now. But in recent months the place has seen a rise in boy racers doing aggressive burnouts and races which have caused many residents to experience sleepless nights.
The breaking point for them was an incident on July 29.
“It all started around 1am when my wife and I woke up to the noise of cars burning rubber.”
The sound of “tyres popping” was so loud that even the police operator he was engaged with to report could hear it.
The unavailability of police personnel to attend caused him to jump into his ute and follow two vehicles doing burnouts.
While always keeping a safe distance of 500 metres, the local tracked the boy racers from Hoanga Rd near the Northern Wairoa River through to Rowland Rd and Arapohue Rd.
He briefly stopped at a set of temporary traffic lights near the railway and continued to trail them to the top of a hill and quarry. But couldn’t trace them from there on.
“When I came home, my partner was in absolute tears. She was worried about where I had gone.”
He understands that the police force is understaffed. But if nothing was done about the crime in Dargaville, then offenders would only get more “brazen”, he said.
The local said the aftermath of the incident had left him feeling “shattered and frustrated” since he wasn’t able to do anything to make the burnouts stop, which continued throughout the night.
The next morning, he drove out to see the extent of the damage caused by the burnouts and racing.
“There were tyre marks, burnt and shredded rubber everywhere on the road. From Dargaville bridge to Arapohue Rd. It looked like a burnout strip and just a mess.”
He said this incident was a follow-up to another “terrifying” ram raid at a Super Liquor store near their home a day before, which made his family think that “they have had enough”.
Fitchett said the police are concerned about anti-social driving behaviour and the danger it poses in the Dargaville area.
“There have been a number of reported incidents of anti-social driving in Dargaville over the past three months.
“We believe many of these are connected to the same small group of dirt bike riders who frequent the Selwyn Park area,” Fitchett said.
She added that police do impound vehicles, issue infringements, and make arrests when they can do so.
The Dargaville resident believes installing a few more cameras in the area would help in catching such boy racers and discourage them from offending.
Although the township already has a camera, he understood that it wasn’t monitored regularly and was “crappy” in capturing number plates or identifying any perpetrators.
Fitchett said they urge residents with any concerns around this behaviour to report immediately on 111.
“If you can gather photos or video safely, please do so, as this helps us follow up,” she added.
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.