Police leave engine running and take a walk

NORTHLAND POLICE have been left red faced after a police car was left running outside a mall for hours while the officers went home.

The pair of bumbling constables who were in charge of the vehicle, parked the unmarked car outside Walton Plaza in Whangarei on the afternoon of July 22.

They were visiting separate offices in the building and each thought the other was returning to the car shortly afterwards so the keys were left in the ignition with the engine still running.

‘‘The reason it was left behind was a miscommunication between the two officers,’’ a Northland police spokeswoman said.

After their respective meetings, the constables – understood to be youth aid officers – walked back to the station and went home after finishing their shifts.

It was only when a member of the public rang the police about the car that they realised the botch-up and sent a unit out to retrieve it.

Police said it was unattended for ‘‘a couple of hours’’ but locals said it was there for at least four.

The spokeswoman confirmed there was nothing taken from the vehicle and there was no police equipment in it at the time.

Neither officer faced serious sanctions over the botch.

‘‘ They have been spoken to and reminded about taking more care with police resources,’’ she said.