Tearing up the street

A quiet city cul de sac is turning into a headache for developers as boy racers tear up the road and grass sections.

Driving into Makomako Rd in Palmerston North, bits of rubber from tyres shredding are strewn across the street. A lone tyre sits in the gutter.

Beer bottles are hidden in the grass and large patches of grass and dirt have been ripped out of the subdivided Kelvin Grove sections by large tyres.

Paul Stephens, owner of Crewcut in Palmerston North, said this was a scene he was sick of seeing.

He tends to the sections for Brian Green Property Group and says he can’t do his job when damage like this is inflicted.

‘‘How do they think I’m going to mow it?

‘‘These guys take pride in it and then they come in and do these kinds of things.’’

Stephens said boy racers would come into the area and tear up the road.

They would also get up on to the grass in their 4WDS, creating deep tracks through it.

The damage done could cost hundreds of dollars to fix and Stephens said it seemed to be getting worse.

He knew the police couldn’t be everywhere, but said he wanted to see more done about the issue. ‘‘They effectively destroy public property.

‘‘I’ve put up with it for years, but slowly it gets worse and worse and worse.

‘‘I think Judith Collins has the right idea – crush [the cars]. Preferably with them in it.’’

Brian Green project manager Phil Sanson said the company had experienced this destruction of their subdivisions for years and it was difficult to stop it. ‘‘It’s causing damage. We don’t like presenting our sections for sale as ploughed paddocks.’’

Acting Manawatu¯ police crime prevention manager Senior Sergeant Phil Ward said people should not try and intervene but should record and write down registration numbers and vehicle descriptions of the cars involved and ring police or use *555.

‘‘I think Judith Collins has the right idea – crush [the cars]. Preferably with them in it.’’ Paul Stephens

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Paul Stephens is tired of boy racers damaging the grass and tarmac on Makomako Rd. Above right, Stephens is paid to keep sections tidy and says the damage boy racers do to the grass makes this difficult.