Attribute to Acting Inspector Peter Graham, Prevention Manager, Invercargill Police:
Over the past two months there has been an increase in thefts from across the Appleby, Strathern, Glengarry and Heidelberg areas of Invercargill.
We have seen a large increase in the number thefts where the offenders have smashed the rear quarter lights to obtain cash or other high-value items.
Vehicles are either parked on the street or up driveways and some have been hit twice in as many weeks.
Police patrols are actively watching for any criminal activity around vehicles and we monitor crime hotspots and carry out mandatory checks on commonly targeted vehicles.
It is upsetting and inconvenient for members of our community to be victims of this type of crime.
Police also recommend, where possible, people park cars on their property rather than on the street, or consider parking in well-lit and busy locations.
Often when vehicles have property stolen from them, they are unlocked so please keep your car locked and any property out of sight.
We are proactively targeting offenders who commit these types of crimes and we will hold them accountable for their actions.
Police urge members of the community to report any suspicious activity they see around vehicles to give Police the best chance of catching offenders.
We can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 and directly by phoning the Invercargill police station on (03) 217 1326.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre