Burglars going through the roof

1.00pm

Thieves have been peeling back roof iron on service stations and bypassing alarm systems to steal thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes, police say.

Three petrol stations in Western Bay of Plenty have been hit by the roof raiders over the past month and the method has been used at least three other times since October.

Last month's raids came as the total number of burglaries rose to 158 across the region from 109 in June.

Crime plunged to its lowest point in a decade during April with reported burglaries at an all-time low of 103 for the month.

Police said the surge was linked to the end of the kiwifruit picking season and outdoor cannabis-harvest seasons.

The rise in burglaries has disappointed police who have introduced two "target squads" to nail burglars and car thieves.

They believed the string of night raids on service stations was linked.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES