The quick actions of Napier Police have meant a Taup¨ woman has got all her belongings back less than an hour after they were stolen from her car.
The woman was in Napier to help her mother move to a new house and had parked her car on the road outside her house overnight on Wednesday / Thursday.
At about 1:30am, ¡°Mum said she could hear something outside, so I went out and checked and saw my car window had been smashed and my gear had been taken,¡± the woman says.
The offenders had taken the woman¡¯s suitcase full of clothes, her handbag, including her wallet as well as a new pair of shoes she¡¯d just bought.
The woman jumped in her car to see if she could find the culprits and saw a Police patrol car so stopped and told them what had happened.
¡°The officer told me to go home and call 105 to report the crime and said he would send a Police dog patrol around. I thought this would be hours away, but five minutes later a Police officer and his dog arrived."
The dog was able to track the offender to a nearby house, where they were found with all of the woman¡¯s belongings and trying on her clothes.
She says she never thought she would get everything back.
¡°I am absolutely rapt and just so thankful to the Police for their quick response.¡±
¡°My grandson has told me he now wants to be a Police officer when he grows up so he can get old lady¡¯s bags back when they are stolen.¡±
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre