Strong partnerships between Police, the Hastings District Council and the 
community are helping identify anti-social road users doing burnouts around 
Hastings.

On average Police impound around 25 vehicles a month for undertaking burnouts 
and anti-social driving, 16 in two weeks of COVID Alert Level 4 lockdown. 
In the first six months of 2021, 133 vehicles were disposed of.

Eastern District Police Acting Road Policing Manager Senior Sergeant Mark 
Clayton says the community has had enough and Police have no tolerance for 
anti-social drivers.

“We have been working with local councils to identify problem areas and 
cameras have been installed at a number of sites. Once we have identified 
offending vehicles, we can impound them,” says Senior Sergeant Clayton.

He says councils are also looking at engineering solutions.

Senior Sergeant Clayton says what is extremely pleasing is the increase in 
members of the community reporting anti-social driving behaviour.

“When members of the public pass on the details of vehicles involved in 
anti-social behaviour such as burnouts, we can follow it up and take action. 
With support from our communities we can make a real difference.”

Senior Sergeant Clayton says Police understand some members of the public are 
concerned about the repercussions of reporting anti-social driving, but he 
reassures people their identities will remain anonymous.

Hastings District Council Security Manager Clint Adamson says the Council 
understands the frustration that the community feels when having to put up 
with anti-social behaviour – whether that is on the roads or otherwise.

He says to support the Police the Council has established an extensive 
network of CCTV cameras around the Hastings district.

“While we can’t have cameras everywhere, our camera operators have been 
able to regularly capture images of anti-social driving behaviour and pass 
these on to Police for follow up which has contributed to a number of vehicle 
impounds,” says Mr Adamson.

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