Hamilton street racing: Four arrested after wild night including assault, stolen car and paintball gun

Hamilton police's Operation Shadow has been targeting street racing for years, including in August 2021, when this photo was taken.

Four people have been arrested for street racing in Hamilton after a night of antisocial and illegal behaviour, police say.

The incident involved multiple cars and included people doing burnouts, one person firing a paintball gun at a surveillance camera and another person being assaulted and having their car stolen, Inspector Will Loughrin said.

He said police were first called about 12.50am to Pardoa Boulevard in Chartwell after reports of cars driving dangerously and doing burnouts.

The group fled the scene before police arrived.

But a short time later at a second location near Collins and Ohaupo Rds, a man was assaulted and left with injuries after confronting the group about their disorderly behaviour, Loughrin said.

“The group then stole his vehicle.”

Police then arrived at this second location and arrested four people for disorderly behaviour.

A “significant amount” of officers then arrived in the area to disband the group and deal with those being antisocial and illegally street racing.

That led others to flee to Airport Rd, where “further police tactics were again used”.

Loughrin said police were able to disperse the group without further issues.

“The remaining few went to Te Rapa Rd, where they were blocking the road with their vehicles and again, city cameras were shot at with a paintball gun.”

“Overall, four arrests were made, 37 infringements were issued and one vehicle was impounded.”

Loughrin said police wanted to assure the community this behaviour “will not be tolerated” and was being targeted as part of “Operation Shadow”.

Investigations into the assault on Collins and Ohaupo Rds are ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to contact them and reference file number 230415/6650.

“Our communities can help us crack down on crime by reporting incidents - where there is criminal or antisocial behaviour occurring right now, call 111,” Loughrin said.

Other information can be reported to police on 105, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.