Huge campervan haul among thefts from vehicles

THE new year has delivered a spate of thefts from vehicles in Dunedin, including a massive haul of property stolen from a campervan on Otago Peninsula.

The six incidents reported in the first two days of this year have spurred a warning from police to lock cars and keep valuables out of vehicles, or at least out of sight.

Senior Sergeant Ian Temple, of Dunedin, said a campervan was broken into on Wednesday evening in Dick Rd, near Papanui Inlet, while the owner was walking on the beach.

Items stolen included two Lenovo laptops, two Kindle ereaders, an Apple iPad, a Citizen women’s watch, a Sleep-Guard antisnoring mouthguard and a blue backpack featuring an image of a dove and an American Peace Corps flag.

On Wednesday afternoon, a locked vehicle parked in a Helensburgh Rd driveway was entered. It was not known what was taken.

Overnight on Wednesday, a locked car parked in Blair St, Kenmure, was broken into and subject to a ‘‘messy search’’, while that same night an unsecured garage in Stuart St, Roslyn, was broken into and coins were stolen from an unlocked car, and a bluewhite bicycle was also taken.

A car parked in Centennial Ave, Helensburgh, was entered on Tuesday night and a set of keys stolen.

Nearby, in School St, Kaikorai, another car was broken into, and a wallet and some cash were stolen.