Fed-up Whangarei businessman to sleep on-site to catch burglars

A Nissan patrol was used to ram the front gate of Doug's Place on South End Ave. Photo / Michael Cunningham

An irate Whangarei businessman fed up with repeated break-ins at his mechanical workshop is planning a sleepover on site to catch future intruders into his property.

Doug Procter, owner of Doug's Place on South End Ave, said the break-in over the weekend was the third time burglars had interfered with vehicles parked on the property.

Whangarei police confirmed they had a report from Mr Procter on Monday morning.

The businessman said he discovered the damage to the front gate after arriving on Monday and four vehicles parked on the property had been broken into.

A back passenger window of a Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive was smashed and the ignition barrel was tampered with before the vehicle was used to ram the front gate.

The gate's bars were twisted but the locked chain could not be broken.

Mr Proctor said the windows of a bus, a motorhome, and a car were also smashed and was not sure if anything was stolen.

He said about two years ago, thieves cut a hole in the fence and drove out a car stolen from his yard and on another occasion, another vehicle was used to ram the front gate.

Additional security measures seemed pointless as thieves always found a way to break into his property, he said.

"We looked at putting CCTV cameras and I'd had discussion with police and our insurance companies and they advised me they wouldn't be able to determine who did it because they wear hoodies.

"Fences are irrelevant because they cut through them or climb on top to get in. Now I am going to sleep on site every night to catch them," he said.

Whangarei police Senior Sergeant Darren Sullivan was surprised at Mr Procter's claim CCTV cameras would not help.

"Anything by way of preventive measures helps and CCTV footage is absolutely beneficial," he said.