Police are warning tradies to stop leaving their work vehicles unlocked and in plain view.
Papamoa Sergeant Phil Gillbanks says a lot hard work done by police to educate tradespeople about how to prevent theft had gone unheard. He has released CCTV footage of a vehicle towing a trailer containing builders' tools that was stolen from the Golden Sands subdivision in Papamoa East on Monday evening.
"I have personally done a lot of work with the local community in crime prevention education, I have issued advice through the media, social media, and building companies.
"I have had police staff visit numerous tradespersons at their work sites educating them in ways to prevent themselves from becoming the victims of theft. We have spoken to tradespeople about how to mark their tools or record serial numbers to assist police in identifying any property should it be stolen.
"Sadly, a lot of this hard work has gone unheard and still tradesperson's vehicles are left unlocked or in plain view without any form of anti-theft system. Trailers too are either left unlocked in plain view, or with just a ball lock and no wheel lock allowing the trailer to be quietly rolled away."