Wheels, trailers, radars all top targets for thieves, police warn

Alloy wheels have been the targets of thieves across Hawke's Bay recently. Photo / File

Sets of alloy wheels and trailers, as well as radar detectors, have been at the top of the hit list for thieves across Hawke's Bay over the past few months.

Constable Mike Burne, who polices the industrial areas of Onekawa and Ahuriri, said there had been 35 reports of wheels being stolen from vehicles in the Hawke's Bay region since December.

"Most have occurred in the Napier area," he said.

The thieves had been staging night-time raids on several yards mainly in the Onekawa industrial area, with one in Ford Rd being hit three times since January.

In early February a fence was cut and wheels taken off an Audi A4, and late in February the fence was again cut and two sets of wheels were taken.

Burne said the following month the yard was again entered and several vehicles damaged with two sets of wheels taken.

A yard in nearby Cadbury St had also been targeted with two sets of alloy wheels taken from vehicles.

Alloy wheels were also taken from a Subaru Impreza parked up at a Leyland St property while BMW and Toyota sets were taken from a yard off Hyderabad Rd last month.

Over the same period Burne said there had been 30 trailers stolen across the region — among them a large Prescotts tandem trailer which was stolen from a builder's yard in Dunlop Rd.

"Take stock of your trailer security," he said.

"And take measures to beef it up if you think it is necessary."

Radar detectors had also been popular with car-entering thieves with 40 reported stolen across the region since the start of the year.

"It is well known thieves will line up vehicles that have the tell-tale ring on the windscreen left by a radar detector or sat-nav device," Burne said.

"If you have one of these devices in your vehicles take some precautionary measures to ensure you are not targeted."

Police had caught up with some offenders however.

A man described as a "well known burglar" got into a Wakefield St yard and stole a truck battery.

He was caught on CCTV, identified, and subsequently arrested and charged.

Another "recidivist" offender stole a vehicle from a property in Taradale Rd and was later identified and charged, while two men were disturbed by the owner of a Niven St business who immediately called police.

The pair were found nearby and arrested.