Balmoral the top choice for burglars

Gold jewellery is being targeted in homes and electronic items in schools. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

The best and worst suburbs have been identified in a new survey that reveals where Aucklanders are most likely to be burgled.

Balmoral had 1084 burglaries reported last year, which made it the worst affected in Auckland.

It was followed by Newmarket and then Onehunga.

The survey by Metro magazine revealed many burglaries in Auckland occurred between 8am and 6pm while people are at work.

As much as one-third of burglars were teenagers and most were males. Metro reported burglaries were more often planned rather than opportunistic, and police were noticing a rising trend of burglars taking expensive electronic equipment from schools and targeting gold jewellery.

Electronic items, cash, alcohol and tools are most sought-after by burglars. Twenty-seven per cent of home burglaries netted goods valued at less than $500, 57 per cent between $500 and $5000, and 16 per cent over $5000.

Police said crowding and high-rise buildings with low security increased the risk of being burgled.

Last month the Herald reported there had been several incidents in which criminals sneaked into buildings by following residents who had an access card.

After a huge building programme over the past 20 years, the number of people living in the central city has risen from around 1400 in 1991 to about 25,000.

Inspector Mike McIlraith, the tactical response manager for Auckland central police, said once people were inside a building, they were free to roam anywhere.

The manager of one of Auckland's biggest apartment buildings confirmed tailgating was widespread.

"They'll park outside and they'll watch different locations to see whether there's a beam that activates the doors to get in or whether you have to have a swipe card," the man said.

"They'll wait and see if it's an electronic door or an electronic barrier and then they'll try to drive through, behind cars.

"You'll find a lot of [apartment buildings] have put short time-phases on their doors - so they'll come down quickly after someone's gone through - for that reason."

HOT SPOTS

Home burglaries per 10,000 residents

Balmoral 1084
Newmarket 850
Onehunga 575
Mt Wellington 588
Papakura 864
Whangaparaoa 110
Albany 79
Downtown 18
Waiheke Island 35
Browns Bay 128