The warm summer has been a good one for boaties in Napier but it has also seen a slight spike in thefts of marine gear.
Among 11 recent burglaries reported across the Onekawa and Pandora industrial areas three involved boating equipment - with one involving an overnight break-in of a fishing boat moored off West Quay which netted the thieves a haul of about $50,000 worth of gear.
"Offenders have had a rifle around and have damaged the mast and stolen a significant amount of gear off the boat," Community Constable Mike Burne said.
The thieves targeted the boat's GPS antenna, diving equipment, a satellite phone, air horns as well as speed and temperature indicators.
Police were also alerted to the theft of a Suzuki DF6S outboard engine which was attached to a trailered boat on a property off Wakefield St in Onekawa.