A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged after allegedly entering the restricted Mount Maunganui landslide zone in the early hours of this morning, prompting a coordinated response from emergency authorities.
Police were alerted around 2.30am after receiving reports that an individual had entered the cordoned-off area, which remains closed to the public due to ongoing instability and serious safety risks.
The man is scheduled to appear in Tauranga District Court on 24 February, facing charges under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act as well as careless driving.
Authorities have reiterated that the landslide area is strictly off limits, with clear signage in place warning of the dangers. Police are urging the public to respect all cordons and report any suspicious activity around restricted areas immediately by calling 111 if the situation is happening at the time, or 105 after the fact. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Image credit: John Cardamone
Call 111 for climbing up the mount…
Why don’t you just lock everyone up in cotton wool or prison already..
Not like the iwi will take any accountability anyway
Mahe is a weak lil b$#ch
Yet no one has been charged for actioning the removal of trees that were originally planted to stabilize an unstable hillside above a ratepayer owned camping ground.
They are doing it openly now.
They openly taunt the public.
It was not only police, no, maori wardens were part of the 2:30 am arrest.
They were too unqualified to act on multiple early morning warnings about the developing slip, but wake up to arrest a dude 2:30 in the morning for stepping into the cordon.
Where are we with the arrests of the people directly responsible for the slip?
What a sh*t governance!