Wanted: Brazen bony bandit

DEM BONES: Kaitaia police are searching for a skeleton seen breaking into The Warehouse, possibly in search of more novelty onesies.

Kaitaia police are making no bones about their resolve to track down a skeleton caught on security footage raiding the Warehouse.

The footage posted to the Northland police Facebook page yesterday shows a man in a novelty onesie (one-piece) skeleton suit entering the store in the early hours of last Friday.

Behind him is what appears to be a pile of shattered glass, suggesting he had neglected to take a skeleton key.

Commenting on the photo, Northland police wrote: "Who is this new super villain? The Warehouse Kaitaia was burgled last Friday. We are picking this person won't be able to keep their mouth shut and will be telling people how awesome they think they are."

Senior Sergeant Chris McLellan was confident the post would get a result.

"Someone will know him. Someone will have seen him wearing it, or will have lent it to him. It's only a matter of time."

Would-be crimefighters have been posting tips to help police with their investigation.

Lance Downs advised, "I think it's time to call in Batman." (Police replied: "Commissioner Gordon is on to it."). Lynley Kaye suggested it was Clark Kent in disguise, but police said inquiries had revealed he was with Lois Lane all night. Kim Robinson said, "Someone will be hiding a skeleton in their closet."

Police rejected suggestions they search Kaitaia cemetery.

Ironically the intruder's disguise may have come from the very store he was burgling. The Warehouse is offering men's onesie skeleton suits for $39. Apparently even super-villains like a bargain.

The culprit is believed to have used a rock to smash a front window and made off with a number of expensive cellphones.

Within six hours yesterday the Facebook post had been viewed 14,000 times and shared more than 100 times.

Previous Facebook hits for Northland police include video footage last year of drunks trying unsuccessfully to break into a house; and, via the Houhora police page, the "Buttcrack Bandit" who gained infamy by breaking into a liquor store on Christmas Eve 2012 and exposing a builder's crack that was the envy of Northland's construction industry.

The bandit even became the face, or rather the posterior, of a cheeky Grabaseat advertising campaign.

If you know the skeleton's identity call the Kaitaia Police Station on (09) 408 6500 or, if you want to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.