Heavy traffic in and around Central Otago over Easter kept police busy, but it wasn’t just people speeding that were causing the problems.

Senior Constable Graham Perkins said there were a lot of frustrated drivers stuck behind campervans and motorists towing caravans, who were holding up traffic.

It was understood that over 1000 campervan owners stayed in Wānaka over the long weekend, and those travelling between 60km/hr and 80 km/hr caused problems.

Police received many phone complaints from irate motorists, and drivers affecting the natural flow of traffic could also be ticketed for inconsiderate driving.

“It’s all about maintaining that flow and that’s when people take chances on our roads. It can be just as bad as speeding.”

Ranfurly police issued 15 tickets for speeding on State Highway 85 - including one driver who lost his license immediately, after travelling at 142km/hr.

In Alexandra, three youth were charged with excess breath alcohol after random vehicle checks - one had a level of 470mcg and the other 600mcg. The 18 and 19-year-olds were both on a zero license and will appear in court this week.

On Sunday evening, Land Search and Rescue was deployed after four individuals in a four-wheel drive vehicle got stuck in snow near Shingle Creek. 

Snr Const Perkins said by the time the rescue group converged in Alexandra to make a plan, the group in need of help managed to get themselves back to safety.

An Alexandra man in his 30s has been charged with assault and lighting a fire in a prohibited season, after letting off fireworks at 6am on Saturday morning.

Snr Constable Perkins said when the neighbour went over to ask the guy why he was causing such a disturbance at that hour of the morning, an argument ensued before he was assaulted.

An Alexandra youth has been given trespass notices after the theft of a bicycle from Dunstan High School, which was recovered in the New World carpark.

The youth was caught on CCTV and also damaged shrubs in the supermarket carpark, along with flooding the area by leaving a tap running.

The BBQ picnic table stolen from outside the Alexandra Night n’ Day was returned when the offenders were identified on camera after it was shared on Facebook.

And, in Cromwell on April 1, a group of people started a fire in Goldfields Primary School amongst the trees overnight, and had used the area to congregate and drink beer.

The remains of the fire and empty bottles were found by a person out walking a dog the next morning.