Northland man recounts being attacked by boy racers

Boy racers are causing havoc in a small Northland community.

A Northland man has told of the moment three boy racers attacked him, one with a stick, inflicting a deep gash to his forehead.

The man, who did not want to be named, was moved to share his experience after a Warkworth father was left critically injured after confronting a group of street racers on December 9.

The Northland man says his ordeal took place in August. For eight months, he had endured a small group of boy racers whose antics woke him and other Maungatapere residents around midnight every Saturday and Sunday.

“It was only a small group, then it got bigger and bigger,” he said.

Smoke would billow from their screeching tyres as the group did burnouts and doughnuts.

The “pissed off” man, who has to be up for work at 3.45am each day, usually ventured to the end of his driveway with his camera in hand.

And the boy racers would get spooked and take off, he said.

“There were probably about 30 cars down the end of the road. I went down there to do what I usually do, but one of them wasn’t backing off.”

He said the young man went up to him to try and “staunch” him out.

At that moment, some of the cars started leaving. Except for one vehicle, which swerved to try to hit the man.

Instinct took over and he hit the car out of the way with a stick he had taken down the driveway with him - just in case.

The car, he said, went up the road before coming back.

“Now I had him on one side of me, and the initial guy was on the other side of me.”

The man tried to calm the youngster, telling him it wasn’t worth it.

“Even his Mrs told him to back off.”

What the man hadn’t seen was a third boy racer get out of his car.

He blindsided the man from behind.

“My stick was taken away from me and they were kicking and punching me,” he said.

Then they used the stick to beat him further.

“They split my head open.”

Six staples were required to close the deep gash near the man’s hairline.

The man said the boy racers were a mix of young guys and older ones, who were the organisers.

“They are well-organised,” he said. “They’ve got [police] scanners, so they’re gone by the time the police get there.”

The boy racers stayed away in the wake of the assault, but had returned just over a week ago.

“It’s my right to have some peace and quiet,” the man said. “That’s why I moved here - nice countryside, fresh air, and [little] noise.”

He acknowledged how hard it was for police, but believes “something has to be done”.

Whangārei MP Emily Henderson heralded the call of her hometown after she became aware of the “awful situation”.

Whangārei MP Emily Henderson. Photo / Michael Cunningham

She and the Maungatapere Village Inc organised a community hui on November 19 which was well-attended by residents, local police, Whangārei District Council staff and councillors, and Neighbourhood Support.

There, residents spoke of the boy racers being local “hoodlums” and “youth acting out”.

But what police told them, Henderson said, was that boy racers were a much wider issue involving older people who weren’t locals.

“There are often people who are quite legit and mad about their cars who get together.”

But a “nasty element” existed, Henderson said.

“There is this sub-culture of antisocial petrol heads who travel the district [engaging in] burnouts and races and behaviour like that, which crosses the line in a big way.”

Police were made aware of the problem and were asked at the meeting to carry out some targeted patrols in the area, Henderson said.

She also encouraged the community to look out for one another and to strengthen their connection.

Henderson described how a reduction in victimisation was a natural outcome of communities sporting strong relationships between residents.

A key point she stressed was for people to report these incidents to police so they were aware of what was taking place in Northland communities - not just post it on Facebook.

Police told the Advocate they were aware of the communities’ concerns around “antisocial road users”.

“The reckless driving behaviour of a small group of individuals presents a danger to themselves and to other road users,” a spokesperson said.

“[...] we continue to monitor, investigate and hold offenders to account.”

They said police were actively engaging with communities to try to prevent dangerous behaviour.

“It’s important that people with concerns about illegal street-racing behaviour contact police as soon as possible with as much detail as possible.”

Number plates, descriptions - if they can be safely attained - CCTV and video footage were all welcomed by police.

While they understood the frustration boy racers caused, they urged the public “not to get involved”.

Witnesses to antisocial driving behaviour should call 111 immediately, or if reporting the incident later, phone 105. Information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police said these details were helpful for follow-up enquiries if officers were unable to attend.