The intruder broke into the $2million home on Victoria Avenue, Remuera. Photo / Steven McNicholl
The intruder broke into the $2million home on Victoria Avenue, Remuera. Photo / Steven McNicholl
A teenage girl who was tied up by a home invader while her family slept is grappling with how close she came to being the victim of a much more violent crime.
The intruder broke into the $2 million home on Remuera's Victoria Ave around 4.30am on Thursday and tookpersonal items, a laptop computer and jewellery, escaping on one of the family's bicycles.
Distraught mother Niamh McMahon, a partner at law firm McMahon Butterworth Thompson, said she was grateful her daughter had not been seriously assaulted.
"We could have been dealing with a much different situation and I guess we're very, very grateful for that," she said.
"We're coping as best we can. We will come through this."
Her daughter was too shocked to talk about what had happened. "She's absolutely shattered."
The family have a high fence, a coded lock on the gate and employed Matrix Security to patrol the property day and night. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said he believed the intruder may have climbed the back fence.
