A number of dirt bike riders are continuing to congregate in South Auckland despite the nationwide lockdown, with police urging the public to help track down the group.
Counties Manukau Police are calling for the public's assistance to track down a number of riders who remain active on South Auckland's roads - despite the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown requiring all New Zealanders, other than essential workers, to remain at home.
In a video shared to the Counties Manukau Police Facebook page on Tuesday morning, Sergeant Vinny Stephney from the Ōtāhuhu Road Policing Team urged Kiwis to get in touch with any information.
"We're watching a large group of what we suspect to be illegal dirt bike riders... these guys have been causing us no end of problems on our roads, as well as the public," Stephney said.
"[On Saturday] we had reports of a... motorbike crashing into the rear of a motorist going about their normal business and taking out their back window.
"This kind of behaviour is unacceptable... we want them off the streets. At the moment, we're in lockdown, these guys obviously aren't abiding by that. They're out cruising the streets between Papatoetoe, Mangere and Ōtara."
The dirt bike riders were congregated in Mangere Centre Park, located off Robertson Road in Mangere East, when the plea for public assistance was filmed on Sunday morning.
Police confirmed they approached the group following the video and three bikes were subsequently impounded. Two riders have also been summoned to appear in court.
"A number of riders are still at large across the district and we need your help to ensure they stay off the roads to keep everyone safe," Counties Manukau Police confirmed.
The majority of the time, officers are finding the dirt bikes are not registered and their riders do not hold any type of motorbike class licence.
In a separate incident last week, officers arrested a dirt bike rider who allegedly had an alcohol reading almost four times the legal limit.
Anyone with any information is urged to anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or Counties Manukau Police on 105.
