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Home / New Zealand

Suspect in case where burglars thought to have had sex in Rotorua home

Kelly Makiha
By Kelly Makiha
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
17 Dec, 2019 11:00 PM3 mins to read

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A Kawaha Point Rd family discovered their home was not only burgled but that the thieves are suspected to have got up to no good in one of the bedrooms. Photo / Getty Images

A Kawaha Point Rd family discovered their home was not only burgled but that the thieves are suspected to have got up to no good in one of the bedrooms. Photo / Getty Images

Police have confirmed they have a suspect in the case where a Rotorua home was burgled and it was suspected the thieves had sex in the master bedroom.

Some of the stolen property has been returned to the Kawaha Point Rd family and police believe they know who was responsible for the break-in. However, they have stopped short of saying they have their suspect as a result of DNA evidence found at the home.

The house was burgled overnight on Saturday November 23. The owners, who don't want their identities published, were away overnight and discovered the burglary the next day.

READ MORE:
• Burglars suspected of having sex in bedroom of Rotorua home
• Rotorua couple's power, security lights cut by suspected burglar
• Burglar caught on camera inside Rotorua homestay pleads guilty
• Rotorua burglar fakes medical certificate to get off bail breach

When one family member returned home on the Sunday morning to get some clothes, he discovered the house had been ransacked.

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He rang his wife and told her all the drawers - as well as some windows, doors and cupboards - were open. Tools and alcohol were stolen along with a child's pram.

This bottle of Appleton Estate alcohol was found empty beside the master bedside table. Photo / Kelly Makiha
This bottle of Appleton Estate alcohol was found empty beside the master bedside table. Photo / Kelly Makiha

They noticed all the linen on their master bed had been removed and their duvet pushed down. There was an empty bottle of Appleton Estate rum they believed was from their liquor cupboard sitting on the bedside table.

Later that day they discovered the mattress protector, two pillowcases and their fitted sheet rolled into a ball and tossed over the back cliff behind their house, which leads down to Lake Rotorua.

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The woman said on closer inspection of the linen, it appeared to be stained with semen.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Van Kempen wouldn't comment about DNA when asked by the Rotorua Daily Post but he did confirm the pram had been found at a nearby address, thanks to a tip-off from the public.

He confirmed they had a strong suspect but had been unable to find the person because they were transient.

"We are actively looking."

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When asked how many suspects they had, Van Kempen said one.

He said there had been no other reports of similar burglaries in the area where there had been suspected sex acts committed.

"Certainly nothing that has been reported anyway."

The woman who lived at the house told the Rotorua Daily Post today she was pleased the pram had been found, although she would never use it again.

"I wanted it back because I didn't want anyone else to have it."

She said she and her husband were coping fine since the burglary but they just wanted the culprits caught.

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"I just wish they would get him. He's on the run now."

She also wanted to know what went on in their master bedroom and why.

"Was it a thrill seeker thing? What would possess them? Why go to that trouble to throw sheets over cliff? I just don't get it.

"I just want them caught. I don't like people who take from people who work. Go get your own stuff."

If you know where or who the burglars are, please contact police on 0800 CRIMESTOPPERS or (07) 348 0099.

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