At least five incidents of burglaries at properties in the Alexandra area over the past few weeks, has prompted locals to use social media to warn others.

People are warning that some letterboxes have been ‘tagged,” possibly as a signal from offenders marking which properties are vacant and therefore targets.

Alexandra police investigated a burglary on January 1 at Fruitlands where a vehicle, firearms and ammunition were stolen, along with jewellery and tools, including a chainsaw. 

Acting Senior Sergeant Adam Elder said after extensive inquiries from Central Otago to Southland, they were able to locate some of the stolen property, including the firearms which have since been returned to the owners.

A male aged in his 40s was arrested later that day and remanded in custody to appear at the Invercargill District Court on January 22.

He is facing charges of burglary and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. Inquiries continue for some of the missing property.

A couple in Lookout Estate also had their two E-bikes stolen around lunchtime on January 2, and then another resident was woken the next night by their dog barking and the driveway gate left wide open.

People were reported walking around a building site in Killarney Street with torches at 11pm on January 7, and then the following night a resident reported offenders trying to break into their neighbours house on the same street.

“Be vigilant and look out for one another,” one of the Facebook posts read.

Another resident said she had already installed cameras around her property, whilst on Kerry Street, there has been a guy sneaking around houses looking in windows. 

The man was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and on a push bike, and was reported to police.

Central Otago police say keep your houses secure. Image: File

And just this week on January 11 an Alexandra woman reported that someone had entered her property in Ashworth Street, and made their way towards the garage.

Luckily nothing was stolen as everything was well secured, but her Facebook post prompted others in the area to also write about their experiences.

Snr Sgt Elder said four of the five complaints reported to police are still under investigation.

 “We continue to send the message that this type of crime is not acceptable. We’d like to remind people to stay vigilant and report any behaviour that looks suspicious."

The Fruitlands investigation highlighted the importance of quality security systems including CCTV, and alarms which was instrumental in finding the offender, he said.

Police suggest some other simple steps to reduce burglary risk:

For homes:

• Lock doors and windows when you’re not in the room or heading to bed.

• Use window stays for ventilation while keeping windows secure.

• Close curtains at night.

• Get to know your neighbours and let them know if you’re going away.

For vehicles:

• Always lock your vehicle and take keys with you, even if you’re only away for a short time.

• Remove valuables from sight, including wallets, phones, and tools.

• Park in well-lit areas or secure garages where possible.

• Consider using steering wheel locks or other visible deterrents.

• Never leave spare keys hidden in or around the vehicle.

• Tradies: Remove tools from vehicles overnight and secure them inside.

• Avoid leaving car keys in obvious locations near entry points to your home.

“I’d like to remind the public that they should contact police as soon as possible if something is happening or has happened.

If you witness any suspicious behaviour please contact Police on 111 if it is happening now, or 105 if it is after the fact.”

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