Damage after series of joyrides

One of the vehicles is removed yesterday from where it was abandoned on the gorge road, Arthurs...
One of the vehicles is removed yesterday from where it was abandoned on the gorge road, Arthurs Point. Photos by Louise Scott.
The dashboard  of one of the vehicles was tampered with.
The dashboard of one of the vehicles was tampered with.

Police are looking at an Invercargill link to a series of joyrides in Queenstown over the weekend.

Senior Sergeant Paula Enoka said investigations were continuing after four cars were tampered with - three ending up on the other side of town.

Police believe a yellowy-green older hatchback was involved. Registered to an owner in Invercargill, the suspicious vehicle was spotted doing doughnuts in town.

''At this stage it is just a suspicious vehicle and we can't place them [suspects] in the stolen car.''

Colleagues in Invercargill were making inquiries, but all four vehicles had been accounted for, she said.

One had been abandoned on the corner of Malaghans Rd and Littles Rd, two were found abandoned with crash damage on the gorge road and the fourth had not been moved but had been damaged.

After reviewing CCTV footage of the area, police thought there might be more than one joyriding offender, Snr Sgt Enoka said.

''It looks like there is a shadow in the passenger side. It is clear a couple of vehicles have been taken for a joyride and been damaged.''

Forensic teams were examining the evidence and police were also undertaking a door-knocking exercise to see residents had seen anything suspicious, she said.

On one vehicle a whole window had been removed, which did not look like a usual ''snatch and grab'' job.

Cases like this were rare in Queenstown, she said, but she advised car owners to be vigilant and ensure cars were locked when parked overnight and that any valuables were out of sight.

Anyone who saw any suspicious activity over the weekend that might be related is asked to contact police.

- Louise Scott 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement