Six burglaries since Thursday

THE spate of burglaries in Dunedin continues unabated.

Six more have been reported to police since Thursday.

Burglaries and breakins increased 22% in Dunedin, and about 5% in the Southern district overall, in the first three months of this year, compared with the corresponding period last year.

It was reported yesterday police were confident they would slow the rise in burglaries ‘‘very soon’’.

But that was too late for the occupants of a flat in Union St, North Dunedin. After leaving a door unlocked on Saturday, they arrived home to find a box of Flame beer, some steak and cheese, and $150 worth of Samoan currency (tala) had been taken, Senior Sergeant Trevor Thomson, of Dunedin, said.

Between 10am and 2pm the same day, a home in Eglinton Rd, Mornington, was also burgled.

‘‘Somebody’s gone round to the back door of the house, jemmied the door open, and they’ve gone inside and stolen a large amount of jewellery, and food from the freezer.’’

Some time in the past few days, a garage in a fencedoff section in Hall St, Sawyer’s Bay, was entered.

‘‘Various tools worth $1000 to $3000 and a blowtorch [were taken]. The garage was open because the place was all fenced off,’’ Snr Sgt Thomson said.

Overnight on Friday, a Honda XLR250 motorcycle, a pair of Drone motocross boots and a black helmet were taken from a garage in Oakland St, Andersons Bay.

The burglaries come after two recent rural thefts.

Farm bikes and a fourwheeler worth a combined $14,000 were stolen from a cow shed in Toko Mouth Rd earlier this month, and a 650cc yellow quad bike, a toolbox and a new set of gumboots and leggings were taken from a property in Slope Down Rd, south of Clinton, last week.

Two big stacks of firewood were stolen from inside a property in Nutsford St, Brockville, on Friday.

During the previous day, two hot water cylinders and two boxes of brass taps worth $400 were burgled from a Wickliffe St industrial yard, Snr Sgt Thomson said.

Dunedin police (03) 4714800, Crimestoppers 0800555111.