Taxi Driving Burglar Finds Police Attentions Taxing

Attention to detail is what a senior Hamilton Police officer is crediting his staff for after a man using a borrowed taxi was arrested following a burglary in Dinsdale early this morning.

Shift manager, Senior Sergeant Dave Litton, said police were called to an Amanda Ave home about 3am after occupants were woken to the noise of their 42 inch television being stolen.

"Realising he'd been heard the 31-year-old offender was quite cunning, he hid the television in bushes beside the house and a laptop in a letterbox down the road as he fled towards his getaway car.

"And it was his choice of getaway car that was particularly clever, he had parked his father's taxi round the corner and in the boot of this car he placed keys and a cell-phone taken from the property."

Officers arrived at the burgled home within five minutes and a Police dog and handler began a track which took them to the bushes where the television was recovered.

"At the same time other staff were conducting area searches and one officer noticed a taxi being driven at speed on Whatawhata Rd so pulled it over to speak to the driver.

"Though you can expect to encounter taxis at any time of night the officer felt something wasn't right when he noticed the driver was sweating. Then when he heard over the radio of the possibility the offender may have scuff marks or foliage on his clothing and he noticed leaves on the driver's jacket he knew the man had something to answer for."

Mr Litton said it was established the man had originally driven from Amanda Ave to Bremworth Ave and on to Melva Lane before he parked up the taxi and went back to the area on foot to check if Police had been called.

"Realising they had he returned to the taxi and drove off before being stopped by our staff. The discovery of the keys and cell-phone in the boot confirmed we had our man and he has been charged with burglary.

"It all comes down to attention to detail and the constable following his intuition. The public can help prevent burglary by attention to detail by attention to detail as well."

Mr Litton said by ensuring doors and windows are secured, activating burglar alarms when going out and recording details of suspicious persons or details, householders can help make their community safe.

"Basically if your instincts tell you something isn't right, it probably isn't ad you should ring 111."

ENDS

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