Man accused of stealing 12 pay-and-display machines

A man accused of stealing 12 pay and display parking machines will appear in Auckland District Court today.

The Auckland City Council-owned machines were taken over the course of a month, the first disappearing on November 11, stuff.co.nz reported.

Each weighed 90kg and was worth $8500.

Police last month charged a 37-year-old man with one theft. They have since added a further 11 charges.

Auckland Mayor John Banks said with the right equipment it would have been easy to pull the machines from their concrete bases.

"I wouldn't think that would be much of a challenge to an enterprising, nocturnal parking meter predator," he said.

- NZPA