'Brazen' thief targets Napier workplace using staff entrance

The value of CCTV cameras was reinforced by several recent theft arrests in Napier. HBT132643-16.

Police are urging people to keep their belongings secure or tucked away while at their workplace after a recent "stair dancer" incident in Napier.

The "brazen" thief walked into the Niven St, Onekawa, premises using a staff entrance.

Around 8.30am, just before the business was set to open for the day, a woman wandered into the building and came across a staff member's bag which contained a wallet containing cash, keys, a mobile phone and other personal items.

"Which she helped herself to," Constable Mike Burne said.

Police were however able to follow leads from the scene and a woman was located later in the day in Maadi Rd only a short distance from where the theft took place.

Most of the stolen items were recovered.

A woman was arrested and charged with burglary.

"These people take advantage of unattended and insecure entranceways and the fact that the lawful occupants are usually in other areas of the workplace, which allows them to go undetected."

Mr Burne also urged people to keep power tools secured in the wake of another incident.

There had been a string of tool thefts over the past few months and a building site off Edmundson St was the most recent target after the site was broken into.

A nail gun, power planer, a Makita Multitool and a Hitachi drill with a battery and charger were stolen.

Thieves also targeted tools which had been left in a utility vehicle parked up in Wright St, Ahuriri.

While those incidents were still being investigated the value of high level CCTV surveillance cameras had resulted in police resolving two out of three reports of theft from Prebensen Drive retail outlets.

Police had also solved three of four shoplifting incidents reported at various retail outlets in Ahuriri with the offenders "facing the judiciary as a result".