Police are warning people not to touch construction material being used to upgrade the Alexandra business area.
A 17-year-old Alexandra man was arrested and charged with disorderly behaviour after he allegedly used a road cone to smash the glass of a Telecom phone booth in the town this week.
Sergeant Ian Kerrisk, of Alexandra, said police had spent a "reasonable" amount of time dealing with people interfering with security fences and road cones around the main streets since the Central Otago District Council work began earlier this month.
Weekends were particularly busy, he said.
Sgt Kerrisk said although only one person had been arrested in relation to displacing the material, those who did so from now on could expect charges of disorderly behaviour.
"Common sense prevails and it's a matter of urging people to respect the council's work.
Throwing cones about the road or putting them in the way of traffic is classed as disorderly behaviour."
