Last week it was a stolen building and the recovery of a puppy from a brothel that left a group of Hamilton officers asking what was coming next and today they found out when a sleeping woman was woken by the arrival of Police and builders to remove stolen windows and frames.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Neville Ross of the Hamilton Tactical Crime Unit said officers went to a Nawton address today after enquiries on the 9th of October identified aluminium window frames stolen from a Rototuna property in August had been installed at the property.
"When we arrived with our search warrant a woman was sleeping in the room and was disturbed from her slumber as builders began removing her windows and frames. Two windows and frames, a ranch-slider and a spare door were among items recovered.
"The occupants of the property claimed to have no knowledge of the origin of the windows and frames however, they are now having to search their memory of how a small amount of methamphetamine and over $7000 in cash also came to be in their possession?"
Mr Ross said Police were now also analysing how quantities of other property recovered came to be at the address.
"Its fair to say aluminium framing and windows are not your everyday items you expect to recover during burglary investigations and they are probably right up there with last week's recovery of the stolen office and puppy in terms of unusual successes.
"But when you consider dishonesty offences make up over 50% of reported crime, its not just large televisions and electronics offenders will target, aside from building materials thieves have also been stealing power lines, large machinery and farm medicines."
Mr Ross said photographing valuables and recording serial numbers on databases such as on the Operation SNAP website (www.snap.org.nz) is a great help for Police and victims of crime in identifying their property if it is stolen and recovered.
A man and a woman at the address at the time Police were knocking on the front door fled over the back fence and sped off in a stolen car but were located across the other side of the City and arrested in relation to burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, breach of release condition and driving offences.
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