Shells and sand are being taken from Northland beaches and some local people are putting the blame on garden-mad Aucklanders.
The manager of the Northland Regional Council office in Kaitaia, Peter Wiessing, said the thefts had been a problem for a long time.
He and especially people living around Taupo Bay and
Tokerau Beach now believed that material was being taken for the gardening market in Auckland.
Claims had even been made of diggers and trucks on the beaches at night.
"We've got no proof of that. It's just hearsay. But if we do catch someone with a digger, we would certainly be interested in getting to the bottom of the story," said Mr Wiessing.
Removing material from the beaches increased the risk of erosion and other damage.
People could be prosecuted under the Resource Management Act if they were caught illegally removing material from beaches.
They would face a $500 infringement notice or a fine of up to $200,000.
Last weekend, Mr Wiessing did catch a man taking sand from Tokerau Beach. No Aucklander, he had moved into the area and did not realise what he was doing was illegal.
Mr Wiessing pointed him in the direction of a legitimate source for the sand.
