A single call from a suspicious person led to two groups of thieves who were targeting cars, being nabbed in Napier last night. "It shows the value of members of the public calling us if they see something that doesn't look right," Senior Sergeant Mike Wright said. The second team of thieveswas effectively a by-catch of the first callout which was just after midnight. Police were told three people were loitering near a property in the Onekawa industrial area and a patrol was dispatched to the area. Officers intercepted three men in their early 20s, two from Hastings and one from Napier, after setting a wide cordon. As a result of that cordon police came across a second team of thieves at work in the Tamatea area. Two of the group of four were caught and arrested and two others were being sought today. A search of their car, which was being driven by a 19-year-old Hastings woman, revealed a quantity of stolen property which has been sourced back to at least 11 break-ins between Tamatea and Taradale. The first three arrested were charged with theft from a car and unlawfully being on a property while the second two were charged with theft from a car. "It's the calls from the public which make all the difference," Mr Wright said. That was further underlined earlier in the night when someone in West Quay spotted a man climbing onto a fishing boat about 9.30. The person called police and officers arrived and spoke to the man. Detective Mark Moorhouse said the man told police he had once worked on the boat and was picking up property which belonged to him. But after further inquiries he was charged with burglary.
