A vehicle has been traced and seized by police after reports of dangerous driving at a Porirua cemetery earlier this week.
Police were called at around 7.30pm on Monday after members of the public reported a blue Ford Falcon speeding and performing burnouts in the grounds of Whenua Tapu Cemetery.
Inspector Renee Perkins said the driver drove recklessly around the cemetery for about 15 minutes along with other vehicles.
"It’s lucky no one was hurt due to this dangerous behaviour," she said.
Perkins said information from the public helped police quickly identify and seize one of the vehicles involved.
"Real-time information is crucial in helping us know where to be and assists in our investigations, allowing us to take action like seizing vehicles and holding those responsible to account.
"Not only is this a dangerous activity within a cemetery, but it is also incredibly disrespectful for a place where people go to grieve and remember their loved ones who have passed."
Perkins said police would continue searching for the other vehicles and their drivers.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said the "dangerous behaviour" would not be tolerated.
"It costs money to fix damage left by unruly drivers," she said. "We are grateful to members of the public who contacted police at the time the incident was taking place."
"Heartbroken" cemetery workers were left cleaning up extensive burnout damage at the site on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement, Porirua City Council cemetery manager Daniel Chrisp said it was the worst burnout damage the cemetery had seen.
"Whenua Tapu is your cemetery, an urupa, a sacred place to remember your loved ones. Burnouts have no place within any cemetery grounds," Chrisp said.
He said council staff spent the morning scrubbing rubber marks from the driveways and cleaning up debris left behind.
Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident or with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.
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