1. Nothing good every happens at 2am in Civic:
- ACT Policing is seeking public assistance to identify a male offender involved in an assault which occurred on East Row, Civic on Friday morning, July 10.
About 1.30am, the 25-year-old male victim attempted to intervene in a fight between two groups of males before an unknown offender struck him, causing him to then strike his head against a concrete wall.
The victim sustained immediate bruising and swelling to his left eye and a dislodged tooth. Subsequent medical attention also discovered a broken jaw.
The male offender is described as Caucasian in appearance and was last seen in the company of a group of males described as Asian in appearance.
Anyone who have witnessed the incident or who may be able to identify any of the males is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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2. Taxis towed as police swoop:
- ACT Policing combined with Road Traffic Authority vehicle inspectors to conduct a high-visibility traffic campaign over the weekend (July 11 & 12) in Civic, in which the safety and compliance of public vehicles was a focus, together with speeding and other traffic offences.
Seven taxis were found to have major defects and were required to be towed away. These defects included bald tyres, significant collision damage and frayed/worn seat belts. Two other private vehicles – both with extensive modifications beyond permitted levels and driving around the city without number plates – were also declared unroadworthy and had to be removed from the street.
Separately, RTA vehicle inspectors also issued major defect notices on eight more vehicles.
Police and vehicle inspectors issued notices for 101 minor vehicle defects, with about 60 per cent of these defects found on public vehicles.
From the weekend campaign in which Traffic Operations mobile patrols fanned out from the city from 6pm through to midnight, then concentrated on Civic-area patrolling through to 4am, a total of 109 Traffic Infringement Notices were issued.
Among the speeding offences recorded were two drivers, on separate occasions, recorded at more than 140km/h in an 80km/h zone on Adelaide Avenue. One of these was a P-plate driver. Another driver was also caught at 121 km/h in an 80km/h zone on Parkes Way.
Sergeant Andrew Warry, from ACT Policing Traffic Operations, said police had been gathering information about the non-compliance of public vehicles for some weeks.
“Members of the community have a right to travel in safety in a public conveyance and on at least one occasion when a member of the public had the defect pointed out, they didn’t want to take that particular taxi,” Sgt Warry said.
“Police found that in regard to those taxis operating after hours, too many were not safe. The onus is not only on the owners of these vehicles to make sure they are safe, but for the drivers to also make a safety check of their taxi before the start of each shift.”
If you can help police contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.