A mother's "tough love" is being commended by Hamilton police after she dobbed in her own son for stealing her car to go to McDonald's.
About 11pm last night police noticed a car almost crash into a barrier in Tramway Rd in Hamilton. The car was stopped and police discovered the three 16-year-old boys inside had been drinking at the driver's home before deciding to head for a late night feed.
"The driver asked his mother if they could borrow her car and when she said no, waited until she went to bed then pushed the car down the driveway so as not to wake her," said Senior Sergeant Wayne Petherick.
The driver blew more than 400 micrograms per litre of breath when tested. The legal alcohol limit for a driver under 20 is zero.
When police took the boys home, the driver's mother laid a theft complaint against her son.
Petherick said taking action like this showed courage as it could be a turning point for the young driver - who has now been referred to Youth Aid.
He said young offenders have been posing "significant" challenges for police recently, with a number of young teenagers arrested for burglary over the last few weeks.
"School holidays are often difficult times for parents, caregivers and homeowners as some young people with too much time on their hands turn to crime. What we're asking for is parents make arrangements to ensure their charges are adequately supervised and that they know where they are."
