Police calls down

The cold weather might have played a part in keeping criminals off the street this week.
Aoraki area commander Inspector Vicki Walker said there had been a drop in calls to police this past week.
However, winter and the latest cold snap did bring extra challenges with icy roads and the potential for sunstrike to affect driver vision.
Walker said there had been eight fatal crashes in the Aoraki police area this year and encouraged people to slow down and drive to the road conditions.
In Mid and South Canterbury, Walker said there was a fatal crash in Timaru earlier this month and police were investigating another serious crash in Timaru yesterday morning.
Last Saturday, two teenagers died in a crash on their way to see the snow on Mt Hutt.
They were passengers in the car on a family outing when the incident happened on Rakaia Terrace Road.
In winter drivers are encouraged to reduce speed, increase following distances, and to avoid sudden braking and turns that could cause the car to lose control in wet and icy conditions.
By Sharon Davis
