Jewel thieves hampered by broken, prosthetic legs

Photo / Thinkstock

A pair of would-be jewellery thieves were hampered in their getaway last night, as one had a broken leg and the other a prosthetic leg.

The men were arrested and charged with attempting to burgle a jewellery store on Auckland's North Shore over night.

They were unable to run away as one had a prosthetic leg and the other a recently broken leg.

Police said they were spotted at 3.30am in Takapuna when a patrol officer noticed a suspicious vehicle parked on the side of Lake Rd.

The officer ran some checks, and discovered the number plates did not match the vehicle.

Two men - one wearing a balaclava and the other a hood pulled over his face - then walked down the street to get into the car. One was holding a screw driver.

They were both arrested at the scene and a search of the car revealed a crowbar, hatchet and gloves under the front seats.

A piece of timber door frame, which had allegedly been dropped by one of the men, was found to have been from a window frame of a nearby Michael Hill Jewellers, police said.

"Police can confirm that any possible getaway attempt was perhaps thwarted by the fact that one of the men had a prosthetic leg and the other had recently broken a leg."

Both men were charged with attempted burglary and possession of instruments for burglary.

The pair appeared in North Shore District Court today.

The 40-year-old was remanded on bail to appear on September 18.

The 44-year-old was remanded in custody to re-appear tomorrow.