A senior Waikato Police Officer says staff feel disappointed about how some residents treat the issue of home security as Hamilton experiences a spike in residential burglaries over the school holidays.
Hamilton Tactical Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Freda Grace said there were 99 burglaries reported in the Waikato between ANZAC Day and 6am Monday morning with 78 reported in the City.
"One of the most frustrating things about the whole situation is that the week before the school holidays began we warned residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour but despite this, a lot of the homes broken into had been left with doors and windows unsecured.
"It's not as if people can say they didn't know as the issue was highlighted in the media, in particular a 13-year-old boy being caught after breaking into two homes and leaving his cell phone behind. Then last weekend we had another 13-year-old caught stealing beer from a garage of a Kakanui address and a 15-year-old caught breaking into a Poaka Ave home."
Ms Grace said it is disappointing when the supposedly more responsible people don't do their part to prevent their homes and valuables being targeted.
"Attending staff report several cases where victims took the Friday after ANZAC Day off so they could go away Wednesday night. The trouble is they left their curtains drawn the whole time they were away and in some cases failed to activate burglar alarms or even lock doors and windows.
"Then we found cases where spare keys to vehicles still in the garage were left hanging on the hook in unsecured homes. This means not only can burglars waltz into your home, they can drive away with your goods in your car!"
Ms Grace said while Police and the media are doing their part to highlight the issue and try and prevent crime it appears the public aren't doing enough to protect themselves.
"In a lot of cases the burglaries over recent days have involved young people targeting electronics, alcohol or other easily transferable goods such as a group of youngsters disturbed breaking into a Fairview Downs this week.
"Disturbingly 10 North Hamilton homes were burgaled over the period between ANZAC Day and Monday morning yet when our staff carried out presence patrolling in the area between 7-9pm they came across nine homes where garage doors were left open while there were no lights on inside."
Ms Grace said it wasn't just people leaving their homes unsecured that was frustrating Police but people not recording the details of valuables in case they are stolen.
"On Monday Police armed with a warrant searched a Mickleson Pl home in relation to the burglaries in North Hamilton. One of the items recovered was a laptop computer that the occupants couldn't account for.
"Unfortunately none of the victims had recorded serial numbers of their goods or forensically marked them.
The reality now is, is that if we can't establish the computer is stolen we will have to return it to the occupants which is frustrating not only for investigators but victims as well."
Ms Grace urged people to get back to basics over coming days, make contact with your neighbours, look into recording serial numbers of valuables and above all, report any suspicious activity.
"Listen to your instincts, if it doesn't feel or look right it probably isn't so ring 111.
"Take the time to record the details of your property, consider entering the details on the Operation SNAP website (www.snap.org.nz), and something that is simple but awfully effective, record the details of suspicious people or vehicles, particularly registration numbers to give to Police."
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