By NAOMI LARKIN and SCOTT INGLIS
Two professional burglars who drove from Wellington to Auckland to raid homes were part of a crime wave that greeted many returning holidaymakers this Easter.
The pair stole $40,000 worth of goods from an Epsom house and police suspect they burgled others - including two where families were home at the time.
A total of 331 people were burgled across Auckland over Easter: 103 in Auckland City, 124 in South Auckland and 104 on the North Shore and in West Auckland.
Sixty-eight burglaries were reported in the Waikato, 45 in the Rotorua area and 27 in Tauranga.
In the Epsom burglary, the haul included two Persian rugs worth $16,000, electrical equipment, silverware and a grandfather clock.
Police have arrested two men in connection with the incident and most of the goods have been returned.
The grateful homeowner, who did not wish to be named, said the family had learned a valuable lesson about home security.
"We were victims of our own folly in the sense that not all of our security systems, such as the burglar alarm, had been activated at the time. We were just stupid and didn't set it."
Likewise deadlocks, specifically installed to keep burglars out, had not been used and the family had failed to tell their neighbours that they were going away, he said.
"Normally when we go away we advise the neighbours and we advise the security alarm people and in this case we didn't, and so now we pay the price for that."
Auckland police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said that although the technology used in home security had become more sophisticated, the basic principles of protecting your property - locking doors and windows - remained the same.
Brochures and information on home security had been around for some years and were available from community constables, Neighbourhood Watch networks and police stations, she said.
"It's things like recording the serial numbers of your electronic and electrical goods and keeping the list in a separate place - like at work.
"Then, if your goods do get stolen, you still have a list of serial numbers which can be passed on to police and if the goods do show up we can identify them and return them."
Sergeant Russell Le Prou, of Hamilton, said his best advice for those going on holiday was to "put a minder in there. Get someone to look after your house."
"Outside of that have your neighbours aware that you are away. Get them to do the little things like closing the curtains at night, putting a light on inside, having the radio going.
"So the first thing is to have it lived in and then the next best thing is to make it look lived in."
Telephones should be turned down so the unanswered ringing did not alert thieves to an empty home.
Senior Sergeant Dave Palmer, of Whangarei, said that apart from the obvious precautions such as locking doors and windows, people should cancel mail and newspapers or have neighbours collect it for them.
"I would say the biggest mistake people make is uncleared mail."
The Easter raids came as police launched a fresh offensive against burglaries in South Auckland.
Counties Manukau police this month launched a dedicated burglary squad and promised not to poach its officers for other work.
The squad's head, Detective Sergeant John Tims, said police relied on intelligence to help lock up burglars.
"We need a commitment from the public to give us information."
Battling burglary - a Herald series
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