Wellington neighbours catch alleged burglars in the act

Police recovered the stolen property within five minutes. Photo / File

Two alleged burglars were caught in the act in the early hours of this morning, when neighbours saw two men taking goods from a house and loading them into the back of a 4WD vehicle.

Wellington police were called by the concerned neighbour at 3.15am, but the men fled the scene while the 111 call was being made.

But five minutes later, at 3.20am, police found the 4WD on Kapiti Rd.

The driver was pulled over, and officers found stolen goods in the vehicle including valuable jewellery and coins.

Shortly afterwards, more property was found on the roadside, believed to have been thrown out of the window.

Two men, a 23-year-old and a 24-year-old, have been arrested.

Both men will appear in the Porirua District Court this morning, on burglary charges.

Sergeant Nathan Smith said the case was an excellent example of neighbours keeping the community safe by looking out for one another.

"As a result of the neighbour's detailed report, we were able to apprehend these offenders and prevent them from targeting another home, resulting in further victims.

"Due to the immediate report of suspicious behaviour, Police were able to respond straight away and recover all the stolen goods too.

"Thanks to the excellent response from both neighbours and staff, we can hold these offenders to account and prevent further harm to those in the community."

Sergeant Smith said communities should consider setting up Neighbourhood Support groups, which allowed neighbours to work closely with police and other organisations to reduce crime and improve safety.