Boy racer charged over burnout during 'Levin invasion' now sorry

A boy racer charged over his involvement in what's been called the "Levin invasion" has come forward and apologised.

The street racer said he had written apology letters to people disrupted by the event and was selling the now impounded car he used to do a burnout.

Police said a crowd of about 1000 gathered at the event last Friday.

Four bystanders aged between 16 and 20 were hit by vehicles. One woman had both her legs run over.

Fireworks and vehicles were used against officers trying to break up the gathering.

Several of their cars had tyres slashed and police had to use sponge rounds to disperse the crowd.

Nine cars were impounded on the night and 15 arrests made.

Since then some of the impounded vehicles have appeared for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

Police have warned buyers to beware when buying any car online and check it was suitable and safe.

One of the drivers charged has admitted it was a dumb thing to do and told RNZ he regretted getting involved and did not want to be associated with the impounded car.

"I'm very f***ing sorry... a lot of us aren't impressed with the behaviour.

"I've already said very formal apologies to a lot of people around the area."

The driver, who didn't want to be named, said he was heading home from the car meet at the end of the night when a large group of street racers began following him.

"Everyone got out their cars, started recording me and were like 'Do a skid, do a skid'. So I f***ing did a skid.

"There was a police helicopter in the sky and watching. And then he followed me after the skid to my mate's place and then police pulled up the driveway."

The car was impounded, and he then listed the impound papers for sale – a cheaper way to get rid of the vehicle.

He said, after the events of the weekend, he didn't want to be involved in those sort of meets again.

"I can't guarantee it's not going to happen again. But on my end, I'm not going to be associating with it.

"I just wanna try and move forward really cause I've got quite a few other things going on like at home and all that so I don't need, you know, silly s*** like this ruining it."

He said he doubted boy racers would listen to warnings from police and the Government, and believed they had tried to find other ways to race.

"Me and my mate tried opening up a little skid pad on his farm, but that got quickly postponed from the police.

"So we just took it to the streets really. And that's how it is. I think that's how it's always going to be, to be honest."

Proposed new legislation to bring in harsher penalties on boy racers was announced by the Government in May.

If put in place drivers could risk their cars being crushed, rather than impounded.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the current penalties weren't enough to deter the behaviour.

"Kiwis are sick of seeing these idiot drivers putting everyone around them at risk, so we're taking action through a range of much tougher penalties."

The boy racer said he didn't think the risk of losing a car was going to be enough to stop most drivers.

"All the ones with a job and everything, they've got money to go out the next day and buy another car so they're not too worried."

Police have initiated an investigation phase into the events in Levin, with more charges likely and possibly more vehicles impounded.

rnz.co.nz