Opportunists blamed for jump in burglaries

Burglaries in Whanganui are up 50 per cent from the monthly average.

Senior Sergeant Andrew McDonald said, as of yesterday , there were 60 burglaries in the past month.

He said that figure was also 40 per cent up from this time last year.

"What we're finding is that those responsible are opportunists.

"It's those simple things where people aren't home and they have left the place open," Mr McDonald said.

He noted the burglars were often young people.

He encouraged people to contact police if they saw anything suspicious around their neighbours' properties, including young people hanging around where they shouldn't be.