Carterton raid reveals stolen hoard

Police are looking for the owners of this stolen property recovered from a raid on a house in Carterton. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

POLICE are hoping to find the rightful owners of several items seized during a raid on a Carterton property.

About 22 stolen items, including power tools, a laptop and a box containing collectible items, were found during the search of a garage at a house in Carterton in February.

Detective Raewyn Smellie said police were still seeking owners for about a dozen items and she hoped releasing a photograph of the stolen goods would prompt people to come forward.

Police believed the goods had been taken during burglaries and car thefts in the district since around the Christmas period.

Finding the owners of stolen property was often difficult, especially if people did not report the burglary and the item had no identifying marks, Ms Smellie said.

"It's always good to give stuff back. We don't always have enough evidence to charge people but it's nice to be able to give it back.

"Some people don't always mind because they can get insurance, but if it's something like a laptop where it's got photographs, it's always good to be able to return it.

"People don't report things because they think we'll never find it, but sometimes we do and property can turn up in the strangest places."

It was important people remembered to keep a record of serial numbers and if possible marked their property.

"If you can put some kind of mark on it, it's much easier for us to return."

A Carterton man has since been sentenced to 60 hours' community work on a charge of receiving stolen goods and other unrelated charges.

Contact police on 06 370 0300 if you recognise any items.