Police beat: Caught by the toe

Diligent attention to detail, or was that digits, was how a senior Hamilton police officer describes the arrest of two men following the burglary of a store on the city's outskirts earlier this week.

Shift Manager, Senior Sergeant Wayne Petherick, said police were called to a Gordonton store shortly before midnight after an alarm activated during a burglary.

"A variety of items had been taking, including cigarettes and tobacco.

"A dog handler arrived and proceeded to track on a scent that led to a residential property.

"Because the officers were in the process of tracking under the Search and Surveillance Act a search was carried out and a 19-year-old man was arrested."

But Mr Petherick said the police dog still thought something was amiss and an officer decided to check out the roof cavity of the home.

"It wasn't long before he located two large bags in the roof cavity containing cigarettes and tobacco worth an estimated $5000 we believe were taken during the burglary.

"But then, as his eyes adjusted to the light, the officer saw something else that perked his interest - what appeared to be a toe poking out of insulation."

The owner of the toe accepted the officer's invitation to come out - before the police dog was tasked with investigating the new find.

A 20-year-old man was arrested and both men were to appear in the Hamilton District Court, charged with burglary.