Thieves make off with parcels

There has been an increase in thefts of courier-delivered items to businesses across Napier industrial areas.

A recent spate of thefts of courier-delivered items to businesses across Napier industrial areas has led to a warning from police.

Community Constable Mike Burne, who oversees the Onekawa and Pandora industrial areas, said over the past couple of months opportunistic thieves had snapped up courier-delivered parcels which had been left at the doors of businesses outside working hours.

"If you take delivery of goods outside of work hours, I'd encourage you to come up with some way to secure them so they are not stolen."

He said business owners needed to arrange a cost-effective way of securing parcels if they wanted to have them delivered outside of regular work times.

Mr Burne said another recent target, fuel from vehicles, may have reduced in the industrial areas but there had been a surge on rural properties.

Thieves have been taking fuel from heavy machinery left overnight on rural work sites and his advice to contractors was simple.

"Please keep this in mind if you are leaving machinery or bulk fuel on work sites, farms or forestry blocks," he said.

Three recent incidents in the Onekawa and Pandora areas involved vehicles - with one resulting in arrests after a boat on a trailer was stolen from a property off Taradale Rd. It was recovered from Palmerston North.

A car parked in an enclosed yard off Cadbury Rd was targeted by thieves who made their way in, removed its wheels, and made off with them.

And an employee who failed to return a work vehicle in Pandora after their job had been terminated was facing a charge of unlawful taking until the vehicle was eventually returned.