KEY POINTS:
Opposition leader John Key last night blamed drug users for burgling his luxury Parnell home in a lightning raid.
He told the Herald a "large amount" of his wife Bronagh's jewellery had been snatched from their bedroom and two of his watches were taken but he hadn't tallied how much the items were worth.
"I suspect they were getting stuff to sell for money for drugs - that's what a lot of burglars would do. It's a real problem in New Zealand."
The National MP's $8 million luxury home was broken into on July 7 while the couple were enjoying a holiday with their two school-aged children in Hawaii.
It is believed the house, in St Stephens Ave, was broken into early in the evening.
The burglars appeared to have scaled the 2m fence around the home and smashed a ground-level window.
They were not deterred by the burglar alarm that went off when the window was smashed.
Mr Key said the burglars appeared to have "got in and out" within five minutes, before police arrived.
"It was just a smash-and-grab."
The house was not vandalised but clothes had been pulled out of wardrobes in bedrooms in an effort to find expensive items, Mr Key said.
Some of the items were precious to his wife, he said.
Mr Key, who owns six homes in this country, didn't think his house was targeted because he was an MP - computers and sensitive files appeared to have been untouched.
His predecessor as National Party leader, Don Brash, had his emails stolen and later made public.
Mr Key said: "I would be surprised if I knew who it was that did it."
He said he was surprised the burglars had been able to make off with goods as he had "world-class security in place".
However, he would be upgrading the security. He wouldn't elaborate in case of another burglary bid. "We are conscious of burglars but what more can we do? It's frustrating. I'm angry like anyone would be when someone steals someone else's property."
Police told Mr Key of the burglary the night it happened but he did not cut his holiday short. He returned home on Sunday.
Press secretary Kevin Taylor said the diplomatic protection squad patrolled Mr Key's house on special occasions.
