Lowpaced police cart chase
NGARUAWAHIA: A police patrol car mounted the footpath and veered across the road as it tried to stop a ‘‘runaway golf cart’’, much to the amusement of Ngaruawahia residents.
In one of two videos of the slowspeed ‘‘pursuit’’, the golf cart is being driven along the footpath while the patrol car follows it — with lights and siren activated — before cutting across in front of it and doing a Uturn.
Another video then shows the patrol car driving along the footpath as it turns a corner.
The police car even manages to squeeze between a small tree and fence before noticing a power pole and then turning back on to the tarmac.
In one of the videos a man can be heard laughing as the driver of the cart appears to taunt police, before saying ‘‘Oh my . . . God, runaway golf cart’’.
Waikato road policing manager Inspector Jeff Penno confirmed police ‘‘followed the vehicle’’ until a member of the public intervened.
‘‘About 12.20pm yesterday, Ngaruawahia Police located a golf cart thought to have been stolen in a recent burglary.
‘‘The rider of the cart failed to stop for police when signalled to do so.
‘‘Police followed the vehicle at low speed until a member of the public intervened, at which time the rider fled on foot.
‘‘While the patrol car briefly followed the cart on to a footpath, speeds were low and there was noone else in the vicinity.’’
Insp Penno said police were highly trained and skilled in urgent duty driving and conducted continuous risk assessments that guided their actions based on the threat presented, environmental factors and the necessity to act.
‘‘The abandoned golf cart was recovered undamaged and inquiries are ongoing to locate the offender, whose identity is now known to police.’’
The second golf cart stolen at the same time had also been recovered by police, he said.
The Ngaruawahia Golf Club had posted about the thefts on Sunday.
However, two hours later, it updated the post to say they had been found.
‘‘UPDATE!! Carts recovered after a long process, many thanks to the local neighbourhood,’’ it wrote.
❛ The rider of the cart failed to stop for
police when signalled to do so