Northland property cleaned out in 'heart wrenching' burglary

This Honda CRF110 off-road bike was one of many items, including guns and farm tools, taken in the raid. Photo / Supplied

Police are following positive leads as they try to find the offenders behind a ''heart wrenching'' Boxing Day burglary that cleaned out a Northland couple's rural property.

The large-scale heist, in the Taheke area west of Kaikohe, appears to be part of a spree targeting farms and rural properties around the Mid North.

In a Facebook post appealing for information, Lauren Cole said the thieves had used heavy-duty boltcutters to cut a large padlock on her parents' gate on the night of December 26.

They had stolen three off-road Honda motorbikes and a distinctive racing quadbike, then used an axe to break into a gun safe and take a number of firearms.

The stolen property includes this distinctive Bombardier DS650 racing quad with Ron Wood racing ignition. Photo / Supplied

Other items taken included a 60-inch TV, a laptop, hard drives, tools, chainsaws, welding equipment and a weedeater.

They also took a debit card and managed to spend $13,000 before it was cancelled.

Cole said the crime, which took place while her parents were on a family Christmas holiday, was ''heart wrenching''.

''My parents are bloody hard workers and have earned everything they own.''

Some items, such as the motorbikes, were not covered by insurance and the bank would not replace the $13,000 because the thieves had managed to obtain the card's Pin number.

Acting Senior Sergeant Dan Williams, of Kaikohe police, said a forensic examination had been carried out at the property and CCTV images were being examined.

The theft of a number of firearms was of particular concern to police.

''It's not the kind of thing anyone wants to come back to after their holidays,'' he said.

''There has been a bit of a spree in the area. We're following lines of inquiry and we are after a few specific people.''

This Honda CRF110 off-road bike was one of many items, including guns and farm tools, taken in the raid. Photo / Supplied

The offenders were targeting high-value items at rural properties around the Mid North.

It was too early to say if the burglaries were being carried out by an organised criminal group.

Williams urged anyone who had been the victim of a burglary, or who had witnessed suspicious behaviour, to contact police so they could build up a complete picture of what was happening.

The stolen bikes are two child-sized Honda CRF50 dirt bikes, a Honda CRF110 and a Bombardier DS650 racing quad with Ron Wood racing ignition.

Photos of the missing bikes have been widely disseminated on social media. As of noon on Tuesday Cole's original post about the burglary had been shared more 3600 times and attracted just under 900 comments.

While they cannot be confirmed as being part of the same spree, the Advocate has fielded calls from people reporting similar burglaries at rural or semi-rural properties in the Waimate North, Kerikeri and Horeke areas.

The Horeke burglary reportedly occurred around the same time as the Taheke heist. Bolt cutters were used and motorbikes and farm equipment were taken.

■ If you have any information about the Taheke or any other burglary call police on 105 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.