The King’s Birthday weekend was the start of a busy two week period of trying to create an obvious presence in the town.
Traffic related offences and street offences have taken the focus of police.
Court attendance for drink driver
On Saturday June 8, Corowa Police pulled over a 28-year-old Victorian male on Honour Ave, Corowa and subjected him to a roadside breath test which he recorded a positive result.
After being arrested and taken back to Corowa Police Station a breath analysis recorded the male in the mid-range prescribed concentration of alcohol and he was issued a field court attendance notice to attend Corowa Local Court on 25 July 2024.
Offensive behaviour penalties
The following night a 22-year-old Corowa male was observed behaving offensively in Edward St, Corowa around 10.50pm and was issued a $500 fine for Offensive Conduct. No more than 20 minutes later police came across a 60-year-old male and 53-year-old female from Victoria also behaving offensively in Gray St, Corowa with both being issued $500 infringements for their trouble. “Without going into the details, Corowa Police intend to take action in all cases of offensive conduct and will not accept this kind of behaviour,” Sgt. Stepehen Marshall said.
$514 infringement for no details
Police also investigated a fail to stop accident on 11 June 2024 when a red P plater from Howlong lost control of their car and went through a fence on the outskirts of Howlong. Normally, when no one is hurt, there is no alcohol involved police do not get involved unless in this circumstance where the young man did not provide his details to the property owner. This failure to provide details caused police to become involved and eventuated in the young driver receiving an $514 infringement.
Burn-out driver nabbed
Corowa residents are becoming annoyed with those select few for not getting the police message regarding burnouts. A business in Corowa provided police with CCTV footage of an aggravated burnout conducted on Dominion Rd, Corowa on the 20 April 2024. Police were in the process of serving a future court attendance noticed to the 18-year-old for burnouts on the grass between the Wahgunyah and Corowa Rowing sheds on three occasions since January, when this new information came to light. As a result the young driver with be appearing at Corowa Local Court on 25 July 2024.
Licence suspended
About 4.15pm on Saturday 22 June 2024 another motorist caught the attention of Corowa Police in Martin St, Corowa. As a result a roadside breath test was conducted which proved positive. After being arrested and taken back to Corowa Police Station, a 58-year-old Corowa female was issued an infringement notice for low range PCA and her licence suspended.
“The way people drive their cars and maintain their cars is a way to gauge the adherence to the law in a town,” Sgt. Marshall said.
“Not obeying the road rules by drink driving, driving with drugs in your system, using dodgy plates etcetera does nothing other than create a perception of lawlessness which will not be tolerated.
“My police will be taking a hardline on this as two drivers found out earlier in the month.”
Big fines for several offences at 2.00am
On 19 May, 2024, a 33-year-old Corowa local was seen driving along Cemetry Rd, Corowa towing a load of firewood at 2.00am in the morning. Police stopped and spoke to the driver and it was discovered that his trailer was unregistered, uninsured and was displaying illegal plates.
Furthermore, the load of wood was not sure. As a result the driver was issued over $4000 worth of fines with displaying a fraudulent number plate costing his over $2800. “Next time he would be advised not to have a number plate with an LPG sign on a trailer,” Sgt. Marshall quipped.
$5151 in fines
Only a couple of days later a 23-year-old male originally from Queensland but living in Corowa drew the attention of Corowa Police in Augusta St, Corowa. Police had received continuous reports of this particular male driving around town in an unregistered vehicle, so when police stopped and spoke to him on the 24 May, it came as no surprise that his vehicle was unregistered, uninsured, had not paid road tax and was displaying a fraudulent plate.
For his trouble the young man received $5151 in fines. Sgt. Marshall said: “I have to pay my rego, everyone in town has to pay their rego and insurance, so I make no apology for enforcing these type of offences.”
Supermarket thief caught
Finally, ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ as you may find yourself having to travel elsewhere to get your groceries. This was the case on Wednesday, June 5 when a 49-year-old Rutherglen male previous of Corowa attended Waldron’s Supa IGA on the River and decided to help himself to $209.30 worth of groceries then walk his trolley out the entrance door without even considering to pay.
With the high-quality CCTV at Supa IGA, the male was tracked as he arrived, as he shopped and as he walked out the door and back to his vehicle.
The male was identified by staff and police, and was issued with a court attendance notice to attend Corowa Local Court on the July 25 July.
“More importantly, this male has now forfeited his right to shop at Waldrons with police serving a banning notice on behalf of Waldrons,” Sgt. Marshall said.
“Manager Craig Waldron and his team do a lot for Corowa. For this person to have so little regard for this and to feel entitled to just go and help themselves to a full trolley load is beyond me.
“There is many people struggling with the cost of living crisis, but doesn’t mean you can steal.”
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