Mortuary thieves "low"

Staff reporter
WANGANUI mortuary is the latest target of "low" thieves who have been on a copper-stealing spree.
Police suspected thieves were looking for copper and chemicals when they broke into the mortuary at the weekend, Senior Sergeant Shayne Wainhouse, of Wanganui police, said yesterday.
"About five percent of the burglaries we deal with now involve copper.
"The majority of the addresses that have been targeted have been vacant residential properties, rental properties, or places tenants have moved out recently," Mr Wainhouse said. Thousands of dollars in damage has been inflicted on Wanganui property by copper thieves in recent months. "Anything copper is being targeted, hot water cylinders, spouting, guttering.
"Without turning off the mains first they're causing a lot of damage, a disproportionate amount when compared with the worth of copper."
The mortuary break-in should show the community what sort of people the copper thieves were, Mr Wainhouse said. Nothing was taken from the mortuary but the break-in showed a "complete lack of respect".
"It's pretty low. Most people hold a mortuary sacrosanct, but these people don't."
There have been 11 copper-related thefts so far this month and police urged people to watch out for suspicious activity. "The message for landlords is to be vigilant with rental property and be in touch with Neighbourhood Watch."
The bulk of the thefts had happened during daylight hours between 3pm and 6pm, mainly in Castlecliff and Gonville. "Don't just take what people say at face value.
"If you see someone on a property don't just assume they're legitimate ? advise police immediately," he said.
Mr Wainhouse said some of the thefts happened soon after tenants moved out, which indicated they knew who lived there or had been watching the houses.
Police are working with local second-hand dealers who are making sure they have full contact details of anyone who tries and sells copper.
Mr Wainhouse said thieves had been going out of town to try and sell the stolen copper, going as far away as Napier and Wellington.
"We have also prosecuted people in the past who have tried to sell [copper] on behalf of the offenders," he said. Wanganui scrap dealers are buying copper for $6 a kilo, which one dealer said yesterday was good money, despite being a dollar less than it had been in recent times.