The Northeast District RCMP is asking the public to report so-called "burn-out" or "spinning parties" to police, following several recent incidents.
Between August 8 and August 10, 2019, the RCMP responded to nine reports of gatherings of vehicles where drivers deliberately spun their wheels for crowds of on-lookers. At an incident on August 10 on Route 355 in Sainte‑Rose, more than 100 people had gathered. When police responded, their vehicles were pelted with rocks and bottles.
"It may seem like a fun activity, but it's really quite dangerous. Rocks, pieces of pavement and other debris can become projectiles and hit people," says Sgt. Stéphane Blanchard of the Caraquet RCMP detachment." As we saw in Sainte-Rose, these gatherings can also get out of hand. Participants in such events could face a range of tickets and charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, mischief, and driving without care."
Anyone with information on such gatherings is asked to contact their local police. To provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.crimenb.ca.