Deb Hann in Cambridge Police Station.
As the tv advert says, this week it’s all about Cars! Cars!
Deb Hann – Senior Constable at the Cambridge Farmers’ Market. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Cars! I am pleased to be healthy again and back on board this week. What wasn’t so good however, was to come back to a car crime spree. Last Friday night, some quick thinking by Cambridge staff resulted in an Auckland youth being arrested after two were seen walking back to a stolen vehicle on King Street. He was found to also be breaching electrically monitored bail and has appeared in youth court on his charges. Investigations into the second youth are ongoing. In the last 10 days, Cambridge has had car thefts and attempted car thefts numbering in the teens (pun intended). We are working hard to put an end to this and hold the offenders to account.
How can you help us? First of all, make it as hard as possible for someone to steal your car. I say it repeatedly but invest in a car alarm or immobiliser (if not factory installed) or at the very least, a steering wheel lock. Park your car securely. If you are unable to park your car in a garage, park close to your house, install sensor security lights and CCTV. Insure your vehicle – at least with third party, fire and theft – and if it is stolen, report it immediately. By giving authority for police to tow it when found, we stand the best chance of gathering forensic evidence linking our offenders. If your CCTV is triggered, review it. If you see any suspicious behaviour, cars driving recklessly or in tandem, (particularly the top stolen hatchbacks) or youth wandering around in the wee hours , please let us know. You can never tell if your piece of information may be the final piece to the puzzle.
These youth are regularly offending after midnight and have been seen brazenly driving around at speed as early as 6am. Police cannot be everywhere, all the time. You are our extra eyes and ears. If you are driving around at these times and see likely vehicles driving or dumped or see suspicious behaviour, please also phone 111.
Finally today, we are almost at the end of the first week of the school holidays. I hope that everyone is having a good break and avoiding winter bugs. As always, be burglary prevention aware if leaving home for any period of time and drive safely on the roads.
