Police issue 45 defects in anti-hoon blitz
ACT Policing has attempted to disrupt dangerous driving occurring in Canberra’s rural areas, handing out 45 defect notices in just two nights.
Canberra hoons have been read the riot act by the police, after two straight nights of dangerous driving on the outskirts of the capital led to a stack of fines and defects being issued.
On the nights of September 18 and 19, the ACT Road Policing Operations, as well as ACTP Intelligence, Rural Patrol and officers from Tuggeranong Police Station targeted “dangerous driving behaviour” in rural regions of their jurisdiction.
Understood to have occurred in the Cotter River and Uriarra Village regions, a total of 76 fines were issued, while 45 defect notices were also handed out, with at least three vehicles seized by ACT Police due to “improper use”.
In addition to this, officers detected two drunk drivers and five drug drivers, with one man arrested for an outstanding warrant, while another was charged with driving while disqualified and possessing an offensive weapon, despite being subject to bail conditions.
Detective Inspector Mark Steel, Officer in Charge of Road Policing in the ACT, said the organised hooning activities risk community safety in rural regions as well as closer to the city.
“You’ve only got to drive along some of our rural roads to see the aftermath of some of this activity, which is totally unacceptable to our rural communities,” Detective Inspector Steel said.
“Large gatherings of people in rural areas late at night presents a significant risk to community safety, and we have a zero tolerance for those who engage in dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour.”
“We will continue proactive patrols and enforcement activities to target hooning behaviour and remove dangerous drivers and their vehicles from our roads.”
Earlier this year, police in Canberra seized 19 cars and issued 85 vehicle defect notices across the Summernats car festival week, having identified some vehicles on social media.
