Please attribute to Constable Telisha Kumar, Auckland City Police:
Police are launching an operation which will focus on reducing burglaries and property crime in the lead up to Christmas around the Auckland City West area.
From today, Operation Kamancha has been launched across the area covering Avondale in the west, through to Ponsonby and Mt Eden in the east.
Police will be concentrating on areas with a high level of burglaries and vehicle crime.
Constable Telisha Kumar, of Avondale Tactical Crime Unit, says there will be an increase in Police visibility in the area, with patrols, checkpoints and vehicle stops planned.
Community Policing staff and the Tactical Crime Unit will also be regularly checking second-hand dealers for any stolen property.
Police will also be executing search warrants and actively looking for high priority offenders.
Constable Kumar says it’s a timely reminder for the public to record the serial numbers of valuable items.
“This is a big help to Police with identifying any stolen goods. It allows us to return the items to their owners and also identify any offenders who sold the items on.”
Constable Kumar says it can be as easy as taking photos of your valuable items and emailing a copy to yourself.
Staff will be set up in malls and hardware stores to encourage the public to record serial numbers of recently purchased goods.
“We also encourage people to engrave their tools or other property with their driver’s license number, which greatly assists in identifying the owner of any stolen property recovered by Police.”
It’s also a chance to get to know your neighbours, Constable Kumar says.
“We know that burglars often return to neighbourhoods where they have been successful, which means they could come back and try your neighbours.
“Police cannot prevent this type of crime alone and we rely on the community to report any suspicious activity to Police.”
If you witness any suspicious behaviour in your neighbourhood, contact 111 immediately.
Operation Kamancha will run from 22 November – 14 December, 2018.
ENDS
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police