Police are urging the public to take extra precautions and continue to report criminal activity after an increase in theft and burglary across the Blenheim area.

“Over December and January, there have been upwards of 63 burglaries reported and 41 car thefts," says Sergeant Graham Single.

“It’s disappointing to see a spike in this type of crime in our community, we are working hard to hold these offenders to account.”

Police are committed to identifying and apprehending those responsible. However, Police cannot be everywhere at once and we cannot deter opportunistic thieves on our own.

We urge the community to take preventative measures to stop these crimes from taking place in the first instance.

We encourage the community to take the following preventative measures:

• Lock your doors and windows.
• Keep valuables out of sight.
• Install an alarm system – or if you already have one, make sure you use it – and get sensor lights fitted.
• Ensure your vehicle is locked and all valuables are removed.
• If possible, park your vehicle in a garage, but if it must be parked on the road, try park it in a well-lit area.

Joining a neighbourhood support group can be beneficial to deterring theft, as more people in your neighbourhood can keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Let your neighbours know if you are going away and keep an eye on their property if they're away.

Police also ask the community to check security cameras and report any suspicious behaviour immediately. The sooner the crime is reported, the sooner it can be investigated.

Please report all crimes of this nature to Police rather than taking matters into your own hands as this can put yourself at risk.

If you see any suspicious behaviour in or around vehicles occurring now please call 111.

Information can also be reported to Police on 105, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 after the fact.

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