New police data shows that weekends are the most common time a person's property may be burgled or broken into. Photo / Getty Images
Saturday afternoon and the early hours of Sunday are the most common time for burglars to strike in Tauranga, new figures show.
But Wednesday at noon saw the highest spike of reports across the board.
Cellphones, tablets and computers were the number one items on burglars' minds, as well as tools and pushbikes.
City protection leaders say commercial burglaries were also on the rise in Tauranga.
So much so, police are urging people to engrave their items with their driver's licence number as a form of protection.
Police data spanning the past five years showed the weekend, specifically between 3pm Saturday and 3am Sunday, was when most burglaries were reported in Tauranga, but Wednesday at noon saw the biggest spike in reports.
This is due to people taking a bit of time to report burglaries or just not knowing when they were targeted, a local police officer said.
A burglary is defined as an unauthorised entry with intent to commit a crime and the data covered both commercial and residential properties.
Western Bay of Plenty Police district prevention manager Zane Smith said there had been an "upward trend" of burglaries in the Tauranga region in line with population growth.
Worksites, commercial buildings, vehicles and pushbikes had all increased as burglary targets, with offending typically higher on the weekend, he said.
Wednesday likely popped up in the system as a key reporting day as people often waited a few days to report or took a little longer to notice things were missing, he said.
Smith was unable to pinpoint the worst affected suburbs as it "differed so greatly".
He said Tauranga had many "opportunist" offenders who targeted businesses seeking a certain type of "commodity".
Whether it was scrap metal with a high market value or various car parts, some would target quiet industrial sites on a weekend to steal items and quickly sell them on.
The same could be said for residential burglaries, with the most common items taken being phones, tablets and computers as they were easy to sneak out and sell on, he said.
Last year, The Lakes and Papamoa both had spates of worksite burglaries, with a number of tools going missing.
Police advised people to engrave their driver's licence number into their tools or items for easy police identification.
Police often retrieved stolen items from search warrants or when things were handed in, but often had no way of identifying owners.
Once the item was forfeited to police and it had been a while, they held online auctions to sell the items, he said.
Thousands of stolen items were turned in and held at local police stations every year, he said.
CCTV security had made a "huge difference" and "changed the shape" of burglary investigation in the city, he said.
For one, it was a strong deterrent for burglars and provided police with a "wealth of information" about the offender, he said.
Watchdog Security Group chief executive Brett Wilson said he had seen a major increase in burglaries in Tauranga in the last five years, particularly a rise in ram-raid burglaries.
"It is a totally different landscape to what it used to be."
Victim Support Researcher Dr Petrina Hargrave said the impact of burglaries "cannot be over-estimated" as it was a "traumatic experience with long-lasting emotional and financial consequences".
She said it often came with a feeling of being "violated" in a place where a person should feel safe.
"There's an extra element of trauma if you're at home when the burglary occurs because there's an intruder in your house and you don't know what their intentions are.
"You don't know if they are armed, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if you should confront them. Victims may be frightened for a long time afterwards, have trouble sleeping and concentrating, and may be jumpy at any sound or wary of strangers."
She said for many victims, burglary can be a "tipping point" and others "never recoup the costs of burglary".
• Always lock your car, motorbike, bicycle or other vehicles. A car alarm, steering lock or good-quality chains are extra deterrents too. Ideally, keep all vehicles in a garage or out of sight.
• When out and about, keep your belongings secure and close to you. Separate your house and car keys, especially if you have an address on the key ring.
• Don't provide places for burglars to hide - keep bushes and trees trimmed.
• Don't answer the door for someone you don't know or don't want in your home. Ask for identification if they say they represent a company. If you're outside for an extended time, eg, in the garden, lock your front door.
• Keep valuables out of sight - If it can be seen, it can be a target. Keep receipts, warranties, valuations and serial numbers in a safe place. Take photos or videos of jewellery, art and other precious items.
• Secure your doors, windows, sheds and garages with good-quality locks. Install security stays on windows, especially those on ground level.
Source: NZ Police
