Police are reminding motorists to make sure their vehicles are securely locked, and valuables removed, after a spate of recent break-ins and thefts.
Counties Manukau South Area Commander, Inspector Joe Hunter says taking a few easy measures could prevent further harm and offending.
¡°In one swoop, by removing something as simple as a debit card with pay wave could stop an opportunist from going on to commit further offending,¡± he says.
In some instances, vehicles are left unlocked with other valuable electronic or personal items still inside.
¡°It¡¯s a timely reminder to ensure vehicles are secured and valuables removed. Victims certainly aren¡¯t to blame for these events - however we can take a few practical steps to make crime harder to commit in our communities.
¡°Motorists should also consider where they park if possible, and to install a car alarm, especially if they are forced to park on the roadside or in a driveway,¡± Inspector Hunter says.
The warning comes after Police arrested a 34-year-old woman, who is alleged to have used stolen credit cards at various petrol stations in Pukekohe and Papakura.
The cards were taken from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home in Pokeno at around 5.30pm on Tuesday 5 March.
¡°A wallet was among personal items stolen, and credit cards from the wallet were used almost immediately to purchase goods using pay wave at several petrol stations in the wider area.
¡°We are investigating several similar cases as this trend of offending continues in our community.¡±
Inspector Hunter says Police staff quickly identified a person of interest after reviewing CCTV footage from one of the petrol stations.
¡°Yesterday, the suspect was located in a vehicle parked across the road from the Pukekohe Police Station and taken into custody.¡±
She is scheduled to reappear in the Pukekohe District Court on 27 March facing a raft of charges relating to theft.
ENDS.
Tony Wright/51½ÖÉä