Cole said the street, which is lined with businesses, was being used as a racetrack and burnout pad, particularly on weekend nights.
“We have a constant stream of hoons coming down the avenue and doing burnouts.
Businessman Bryce Cole displays a shredded water main cover and a piece of tyre left by “hoons” using Birch Ave in Judea as a burnout pad. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“I have been with Gourmet Foods for 22 years, and this issue has been occurring off and on for a large part of that time,” Cole said.
“The concern now is that it seems to be becoming more frequent, and the vehicles involved appear to be travelling faster.”
He said the vehicles damaged private and council property.
A company sign was bent so badly that a forklift was needed to push it back into place, and a security camera was smashed off and stolen.
Gourmet Foods Ltd’s security camera was smashed. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Other businesses had to replace water main covers “ground down to nothing” by racers putting them under their tyres to skid. They also used McDonald’s trays, he said.
“The other week, we had someone come down towing a pallet up and down the road behind the vehicles, trying to ride on them.”
He said he believed some of this behaviour had been influenced by overseas trends and the rise of drifting in New Zealand.
People, including children, would run around the cars doing burnouts in the dark, and some recorded videos which he believed were for social media.
“The loss of control shown in [security camera videos] has serious potential consequences.
“Eventually, someone is going to get seriously hurt.”
Cole heard the burnouts regularly from his Judea home and said he had called police many times.
“By the time a patrol car is available to attend, the vehicles are usually gone.”
Cole said police had recently impounded a couple of the vehicles involved.
Bryce Cole said the dangerous driving was happening more frequently. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“Both of them were unregistered, both were expected to have gone to the wreckers.”
Other business leaders along the street told Local Democracy Reporting they often saw burnout marks when they arrived at work each morning.
Roar Pet Food owner Luke Nuttall said there was always mud sprayed from the roundabout.
“There’s a big tree in the middle of it. They do doughnuts around the tree.
“It’s churned up pretty bad.”
Damage and vandalism on Birch Ave in Judea. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
He said there was often debris all over the road.
Impact Engineering general manager Mark Welten had also noticed the roundabout track marks and mud at the end of the road where his business was.
“It’s been intermittent over the last six months, but recently it’s escalated to almost a daily thing.”
While it did not impact the business directly, he said, the road looked “a bit unsightly” with black skid marks, rubbish flying around and graffiti.
Graffiti on Birch Ave in Judea. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Cole spoke to the council’s city delivery committee on Tuesday, suggesting that installing a monitored camera with automatic number plate recognition capability would be the most effective solution.
“This would allow for a faster response to these incidents and would also help spread the message that Birch Avenue is not a safe or acceptable place for this behaviour to continue.”
Bethlehem ward councillor Kevin Schuler, who had discussed the issue with Cole, referenced an incident where someone used a crowbar to smash a private camera.
“Fortunately, we had another camera pointing in a similar direction, which captured the incident. Police now have that footage and information,” Cole said.
Bethlehem ward councillor Kevin Schuler. Photo / David Hall
Schuler told Local Democracy Reporting that the situation was frustrating for businesses and the road had tyre marks all over it.
“We saw the damage that can happen when a driver loses control. This makes it even more concerning to see a young child in the footage.”
He said business owners should not have to tolerate property damage and vandalism.
Their cameras were not strong enough to read number plates, which meant they had little to help police.
“Police are very busy, so despite their best intentions, they cannot guarantee responding at short notice.
“I’m hopeful we can install a strong surveillance camera – out of crowbar range – soon to help police identify vehicles and track down owners.”
Council operations and infrastructure general manager Reneke van Soest told the meeting the behaviour on Birch Ave was a police matter.
Council operations and infrastructure general manager Reneke van Soest said the bad behaviour was a police matter. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
“What we can do is, if we see it, refer it to the police so there is a critical response.”
For that, she said, they needed cameras in the area.
“For cameras to operate, we need power connections. Both of those are currently in progress.
“Powerco currently has a dramatic backlog so it might not be for a few months until that happens, but we are aware and we are working on it.”
Western Bay of Plenty Police area prevention manager, Inspector Zane Smith, said Tauranga police were aware of the behaviour and taking action.
“Anti-social behaviour on our roads can cause serious harm.”
He said after reports of unlawful activity in Judea, police had taken people into custody and impounded vehicles.
Western Bay of Plenty Inspector Zane Smith. Photo / George Novak
He said offenders held to account could face charges such as sustained loss of traction and dangerous driving. Vehicles were often impounded as a result.
The community played an important role in helping police understand what was going on, as did CCTV cameras, which could help police identify vehicles and drivers involved.
“We ask members of the public to report any suspicious or unlawful activity as soon as possible, providing as much detail as it is safe to do so,” Smith said.
This helped police better understand what was happening, prioritise resources and respond effectively.
Where an immediate response was not possible, the information allowed them to follow up with vehicle owners and drivers and take appropriate action.
Smith said anyone who witnesses unlawful or anti-social road behaviour should contact the police immediately on 111.
Information could also be provided through the 105 service, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers online or by calling 0800 555 111.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Ayla Yeoman is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based in Tauranga. She holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in communications, politics and international relations from the University of Auckland, and has been a journalist since 2022.