Police too busy even when citizen all but catches thief

Victims of crime say they are becoming private investigators and spending hours of their own time gathering evidence such as surveillance camera footage and registration plate numbers for police.

But they wonder if it was worth the legwork when police say they are too busy to act on the information.

* Howick man John Climo had his car broken into almost four months ago, and a pair of prescription sunglasses and a cellphone were stolen.

Police suggested he obtain the security footage from the mall, which he did, along with tracing the offender's vehicle through its registration number to an address at Otara. He even visited the house but decided not to take the law into his own hands.

Mr Climo said police staff told him that his case was unlikely to be investigated until next year.

Mr Climo believed other people would become "fed up" with such delays and take matters into their own hands.

"I do have some sympathy for the police as they do a good job with limited resources, and I am sure they have to prioritise their jobs in relation to the seriousness of the crime and the resources at their disposal.

"The problem with this is that the petty crims of today get away with a car break-in and tomorrow move on to something more serious and daring because they know they can get away with it in this environment."

Inspector Keith Brady, acting manager of the Counties-Manukau eastern area, said Mr Climo's file was "third from the top" of a pile waiting for investigation by a tactical crime unit.

"There has been no investigation work on it since it arrived, but it has been assessed ... and there obviously is a clear line of inquiry. But it really is a matter we have to prioritise at the moment."

Mr Brady said members of the unit had been involved in investigating the gang-related homicide and assaults in Otara.

* Margaret Wilson also turned sleuth when her handbag was stolen from the Manukau Library early last month.

Mrs Wilson said she had provided Wiri police with clear security images of the thief checking out her handbag and then hooking it off the chair and walking out.

"You can see his face clear as day," she said.

Mrs Wilson has also supplied police with a possible address for the thief after he used her credit card to buy a music CD.

"I was told that as the crime was not a 'violent one' it would still go to the bottom of the pile as they were too busy to deal with them."

Mrs Wilson said she had not heard from police since early September.