Police Notebook: 15 burglaries over Easter weekend in Rotorua

The Easter Bunny wasn't the only visitor in people's homes over Easter with 15 burglaries being reported in Rotorua during the long weekend.

Among the items stolen was a gold St Christopher necklace and silver bracelet taken from a Devon St house on Easter Monday. A suspicious looking woman had been seen in a car in the area around the time, Rotorua police crime prevention manager Inspector Brendon Keenan said.

Several vehicles were damaged at a Rotorua car yard on Old Taupo Rd overnight on Thursday. The offenders climbed a fence and trampled on several cars, keying them and scratching paintwork.

A house on Turner Drive was broken into over Easter weekend where the offenders smashed windows and a TV, and scattered food around the house, Keenan said.

Motorcyclist's death

The death of Rotorua man in a motorcycle crash at the weekend means five people have now died on local roads this year.

Keenan said the 19-year-old man, whose name was yet to be released, died on Saturday after he came off his motorbike on Edmund Rd and slid under the wheels of a passing truck on Clayton Rd.

Keenan said the motorcyclist had been overtaking vehicles on Edmund Rd just before he came off his bike.

Stolen cars

The following are vehicles stolen in Rotorua during the past two weeks.

A black 2013 Nissan Qashqai registration GTK686 was stolen from Koutu Rd, a white 1978 caravan registered R154A was stolen from Te Ngae Rd, a black 2005 moped registration A4EEN was stolen from Tui Rd, a number plate registration EJP354 was stolen from Sunset Rd, a green 2001 Mitsubishi Triton registration WYC329 was stolen from Mount View Drive and a silver 1998 Mitsubishi Diamante registration WX4829 was stolen from Taharangi St.

Family harm incidents

Police were called to 53 family harm incidents from Saturday last week to Thursday, March 29.

Keenan said family harm included incidents such as arguments, yelling, threats and physical violence.