The boat recovered from a property in Ngāruawāhia. Photo: Supplied / NZ police
Police have begun returning stolen property including a boat and vehicles to owners after an operation that has resulted in 19 people facing charges.
In the last three weeks police executed search warrants in Ngāruawāhia, Huntly and Kawhia. Operation Balance was focused on "some of Waikato's most prolific dishonesty offending", police said.
In Ngāruawāhia in late November, police recovered a stolen boat and vehicle, as well as a firearm and ammunition.
Three stolen vehicles, cannabis, ammunition, and expensive tools and machinery were seized from an address in Kawhia.
Two people are now facing multiple burglary and receiving charges.
In Huntly, more than 150 sets of car keys and two cell phones, believed to have been taken from Turners Auctions Hamilton in November, were recovered after members of the Waikato tactical crime unit executed a search warrant.
A 30-year-old man appeared in the Hamilton District Court this week on 10 charges of burglary relating to the search warrant.
Most of the items have been returned to their owners but the owners of some of the haul have yet to be identified, police said.
All up 19 people were arrested or summonsed to appear in either District or Youth Court.
A total of 81 cases were investigated and closed.
One of the vehicles that was recovered. Photo: Supplied / NZ police
Detective Senior Sergeant Terri Wilson said it was pleasing to have achieved some "great outcomes" from the operation.
"As we head into the holiday season, this is a timely reminder for our community to make the security of your home and property a priority. A lot of reported thefts are committed by opportunistic criminals," she said.
Police advice for making a property less appealing to burglars includes:
- Secure your home, sheds and vehicles when unattended, even if it's only for a short time
- Record the serial numbers or engrave tools, electronic and valuable items with your licence number
- Install an alarm system and get sensor lights fitted as a deterrent
- Keep in contact with your neighbours
Anyone seeing suspicious activity is asked to contact police on 111, or if it is after it has happened call 105.
