Burglars see window of opportunity

The number of daylight robberies in Rotorua has risen exponentially.

The warm weather may be a treat for some Rotorua residents looking to bask in the sunshine, but it also provides an opportunity for thieves, police say.

According to Rotorua police the number of daytime burglaries has risen, as residents leave windows open or doors ajar in a bid to combat the heat.

Rotorua experienced temperatures nearing 29C earlier this week, which followed a scorching weekend, when the mercury hit 28C in the city on Saturday and again on Sunday.

In the past week, with temperatures rising to well above 25C, police have noticed a number of daytime burglaries, particularly in the Hillcrest and Fordlands areas.

"We suspect that a number of these are committed by people on foot or on bikes, so we urge anyone who sees anything suspicious or anything that seems out of place, to contact police, whether that's cars loitering in driveways, people walking backwards and forwards or milling around, we want to know about it," Rotorua police crime prevention manager Inspector Stuart Nightingale said.

Police were taking a preventive approach to these crimes, but needed the public to support them with that, he said.

He urged residents to ensure their property was secure at all times and put valuables somewhere safe, even when at home.

He encouraged people to lock their doors, keep windows closed and to get security stays for their windows.