40 thefts in two weeks: Napier cars targeted by thieves in the night

Napier residents should lock their vehicles, say police.

Thieves are targeting vehicles under the cover of night in some areas of Napier.

Detective Sergeant Glenn Restieaux from the Hawke's Bay Police Tactical Crime Unit said Napier Hill and Napier South were areas "of highly reported thefts".

"In the last two weeks of May up to June 3 there were 40 thefts from vehicles reported in Napier," he said.

"About a quarter of reported thefts are from unsecured vehicles. Offenders are smashing windows and using instruments to open the door".

Georges Dr, Nelson Cres and Vigor Brown St were just some of the roads being blitzed.

A woman who lives on George's Drive said a neighbour had been hit and it "looked like they did a pretty thorough search of the car".

"It's crazy that the car was broken into when it sits right in the driveway of the front neighbour's house.

"I'm not surprised we were finally hit, all the car stealing action was heading towards us anyway".

Infuriated locals have taken to Facebook to voice their concerns, with new posts of the [attempted] burglaries appearing on the social media site daily.

"Watch your vehicles, my window was smashed and car got ransacked tonight," one person said on June 18.

Another person said they had "all the leather in their car cut a few days ago" and their phone, laptop and iPad were stolen.

A "white Mitsubishi lancer with a dent in the door" was stolen outside a Charles St property in Westshore last night after someone "haggled the lock".

Restieaux confirmed that investigations around the robberies were ongoing, although a "31 year-old man had been arrested and charged for a TXC (Theft ex Car) committed in the nearby Taradale area".

Hawke's Bay police have advised residents to "park their vehicles off the road" or "park in a well-lit area".

"Remove all property including tools, radar detectors and GPS from vehicles, and if you can't remove the property hide it from view.

"Most importantly, lock the car".