Starting with good catches, last Wednesday a retail business was the victim of a robbery carried out by youth offenders armed with weapons. The offenders arrived in a stolen vehicle, intimidated staff and customers and stole items, before fleeing.
While there are always psychological and emotional impacts, luckily no one was physically hurt. Investigative work by police led to the car and youths being located quickly in Rotorua. Three young people now face associated charges in court.
Recently an outbuilding in Maungatautari was the subject of a burglary during which a considerable number of power tools and garden implements were stolen. A few days later, Police were executing a search warrant at an address in Kihikihi on unrelated matters whereupon the items stolen from the burglary were located and recovered.
And lastly, in late January, a wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked on a private driveway in Cambridge East. Cards from within the wallet were subsequently used several times. After investigation, a person was identified, and he has this week appeared in court on five related charges.
From time to time, Cambridge police are notified about neighbourhood issues involving noise. Often complainants allude to disruptive, inconsiderate and excessive noise having occurred over a long period of time. As with any type of offending, it cannot be addressed if the appropriate agencies are not made aware. Unless there is associated criminal offending, noise complaints are dealt with Waipā District Council. Noise control provisions are part of the Resource Management Act 1991.
The aim is to protect people from unreasonable and excessive noise, to provide effective noise control in our community whilst also protecting the rights of people and industry to make a reasonable level of noise. To make a noise control complaint, phone 0800 924 723. The number is monitored 24 hours a day.
As with any criminal offending, it is important to ring while the noise is in progress. This enables attending noise control staff to make an accurate assessment. In many cases, an assessment is best completed from your address. Each noise complaint is recorded by Waipā District Council and where there are ongoing issues, further action can then be taken.
Resolution may involve formal abatement notices and removal of the noise source if it persists. While a neighbourly conversation may suffice in many cases, I encourage you to make noise control reports where there is an issue.