Please attribute to Acting Inspector Craig Dinnissen:
Police have noticed a developing trend of vehicles being broken into in parts of Dunedin through August and continuing into September.
Tools from tradies’ vans, cars and building sites have been targeted across various Dunedin suburbs including; Maryhill to Belleknowes, Green Island to Mosgiel, Dunedin Central out to Tainui.
We are making inquiries about these thefts and Police patrols are actively watching for any more criminal activity around vehicles.
We encourage tradies to get their tools engraved with their driver licence number, so if the tools are recovered, we can return them. Parking vehicles out of sight, removing valuable items over weekends, securing tools inside vehicles with chains and padlocks or even a tarp thrown over the top of them can be useful deterrents.
Using the free online asset list Serial Number Action Partnership (SNAP) website to record serial numbers can assist in the return of stolen property if located by police. Visit www.snap.org.nz to register free.
If anyone’s vehicle has been targeted, or if people have information which would help catch these offenders, please call Police on (03) 471 4800.
Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111.
We are also asking people to think twice if they’re offered stolen tools, and to tell Police about the seller.
If the deal looks too good to be true then it probably is. So don’t leave yourself liable to loss from the cheap deal.
ENDS
Police Media Centre