Court appearance on red zone burglary charges

A man will appear in the Christchurch District Court tomorrow [Tuesday 29 January] on 10 charges of burglary relating to the removal of hot water cylinders from red-zoned homes.

The burglaries are alleged to have occurred between 7 January and 14 January at properties in the suburbs of Avondale and Burwood.

The 43-year old Christchurch man was arrested on 14 January after a nearby resident noticed the man's activities and alerted Police.

Sergeant Dave Knowles of Papanui police says all of the houses are in red-zoned areas, and are now abandoned and under CERA ownership.

It is alleged the man removed the hot water cylinders along with tapware and other items in an attempt to recover scrap metal.

"This alleged offender has gone to considerable lengths to try to conceal his activities," Sergeant Knowles says.

"This included wearing a high-visibility vest with the name of a contracting firm on it, and hanging black material over a window at one address to block the view from the street."

Sergeant Knowles says Police were able to respond promptly when they were contacted by the resident who reported the suspicious activity.

"This neighbour has done the right thing by reporting his concerns. We continue to receive reports of this sort of activity and we are actively following them up.

"If anyone sees suspicious activity or vehicles around their neighbourhood, we urge them to get in touch with Police.

"Remember - a high-vis vest is no guarantee that a contractor is genuine. If people have any doubts they should not hesitate to ask questions, check with the company and if they remain suspicious - contact police as soon as possible."

ENDS

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