Bay police are asking for help the public's help to locate a prowler who was discovered peering into a Papamoa couple's home.
Senior Sergeant Deirdre O'Donnell said the pair noticed the man peering through their window at about 11.30pm on Wednesday and called police.
Police attended but the police dog and its handler were unable to locate the man, described as a Caucasian male of skinny build in his late 20s or early 30s.
Mrs O'Donnell said there had been a slight increase in burglaries and thefts from cars
in Papamoa and Mount Maunganui over the past few days.
It could not be discounted that the prowler was checking out the property, intending to commit a crime, she said.