GPS leads to stash

A global positioning system tracker on a stolen digger has led police to stolen property worth $150,000.

The $70,000, high-spec 1.9 tonne digger was stolen from Warkworth overnight on Tuesday, Sergeant Bede Haughey said.

Police tracked the digger to a rural Warkworth property and also found a stolen two-room portable building, a truck and a tandem-axle trailer.

The portable building had been stolen from Warkworth, shortly after the digger, and the truck had been taken from Silverdale the week before, Haughey said.

A 39-year-old woman made her first court appearance on Thursday on three charges of receiving the stolen property.

‘‘We have yet to determine where the trailer was stolen from,’’ Haughey said.

Police were investigating to find the identity of the thief.

Haughey said the owners of the portable cabin, truck and digger were hugely appreciative that their property had been recovered.

He applauded the digger owner for having the GPS installed.

‘‘The digger was well hidden and quite possibly would not have been located had it not been for the GPS tracker.

‘‘Even after knowing what property it was on, it still took us some time to locate it given how well it had been disguised.

‘‘I would encourage others with valuable assets to consider doing the same thing. Particularly assets that are easily stolen and transported such as small diggers,’’ he said.

Haughey said similar crimes were being committed to fund the addiction of methamphetamine addicts in the community, and he was increasingly concerned about the availability of the drug.

- Fairfax NZ