Police thank Canberra community for hooning information

Thank you Canberra

Several motorists have been fined and illegal events have been disrupted during ACT Policing’s month-long traffic focus on hooning in November 2021.

Officer in Charge, ACT Road Policing, Detective Acting Inspector Paul Hutcheson said information from the community was vital in helping police be in the right places at the right times this month.

“At the start of the month, we asked Canberrans to let us know about hooning activity, so we could respond, and they have come through in spades,” Detective Acting Inspector Hutcheson said.

“We received, investigated and targeted responses to reports of burnouts, speeding, and hooning events across the ACT, and even across the border with the assistance of our colleagues in the NSW Police Force.

“Officers have issued infringement notices, vehicles have been seized, and some drivers are now waiting to have their day in court. Many of these outcomes would not have been possible without the valuable information from the public.”

In addition to responding to complaints from the community, an additional 73 traffic targeting patrols were conducted during the month of November by officers from Road Policing and other ACT Policing portfolios.

Results from the operation include:

Area

Details

Belconnen

Targeted patrols conducted in response to community information observed a vehicle performing a burnout. A provisional licence holder was fined for improper use of a motor vehicle.

Red Hill

Police responded with several high-visibility patrols in the area. Five infringement notices were issued for speeding in Red Hill after residents alerted police to dangerous driving on a suburban street.

Gordon

Tuggeranong Patrol and Road Policing conducted a joint operation and seized a Holden Commodore after a community member supplied video footage of dangerous driving behaviour. The driver was identified and will be summonsed to appear in court for improper use of a motor vehicle.

Banks / Gordon

In response to information from the community police conducted patrols of streets of concern and disrupted hooning driving from an identified vehicle of interest.

Belconnen

Staff at a Belconnen area high school supplied information about planned hoon driving at the school during school hours. Police provided a high visibility presence that deterred dangerous driving behaviours. Two Infringements were issued for seat belt offences.

Belconnen

Police conducting targeted patrols identified a white Ford Falcon conducting a burnout. The vehicle was seized, the driver will be summonsed to appear in Court for improper use of a motor vehicle.

Fyshwick / Hume / Beard

Road Policing conducted traffic targeting and identified vehicles of interest. The police presence discouraged further gatherings. No reports of hooning behaviour received on those evenings.

Gungahlin / Sutton (NSW)

Community information led to a high-visibility police response from Gungahlin Patrols, Road Policing and NSW Police to the cross border area of Mulligans Flat Road. About 100 vehicles of interest were identified in the area and a planned hooning event was successfully disrupted.

Other operations arising from community information remain active, and ACT Policing will continue to investigate incidents reported by Canberrans.

Police recommend that anyone who wishes to report hooning should call ACT Policing Operations on 131 444. Footage can be taken to any police station on a memory card or USB. An officer at the station will then ensure all relevant details to go with the footage are collected at the time.

 

Media enquiries

Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au

Quick Exit