A spate of burglaries in isolated and holiday spots in recent weeks has police worried as thieves target baches and rural homes in Northland.
In one case - described by police as sickening - a patient returned home after treatment for a brain tumour to find her home ransacked.
Onerahi police have reported eight bach burglaries in the Whangarei Heads area in the past week - four at Ocean Beach at the weekend, two at Reotahi and two at McLeod Bay.
Kerikeri police have reported six burglaries at rural properties in the past week, and three baches have been broken into at Oakura.
A meeting was recently held at Tutukaka of property owners concerned about break-ins along the coast. The number has police concerned.