People filling up at petrol stations are being warned not to leave their keys in the ignition following a spate of vehicle thefts in Tauranga this week.
Police are investigating the thefts says four vehicles have been stolen from different petrol stations around the city.
Police are investigating a serious of car thefts from petrol stations around Tauranga. File photo.
The vehicles have not been recovered.
'It would appear the offender is targeting vehicle that are briefly unattended with keys in the ignition,” says Senior Sergeant Chris Summerville.
The vehicles include a 2011 Great Wall utility coloured white, registration: FTJ932, a 2011 Ford Ranger coloured white, registration GDR774, a 2003 Holden Commodore VY coloured blue, registration BEM 464 and a 2000 Toyota Corolla Fielder station wagon coloured red, registration DMP745.
Police are appealing to the public for any information on where these vehicles may be.
Information can be reported to Tauranga Police Station on 070 577 4300.
Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line.
10 comments
omg
Posted on 02-08-2014 08:13 | By whatsinaname
common sense tells us NOT to leave keys in cars when at service stations. I always lock mine as well.
locked
Posted on 02-08-2014 09:07 | By fletch
I have always locked my car at service stations. Its just common sense. I still want it to be there with all its contents when I get back from paying for the gas.
Time for some bait cars?
Posted on 02-08-2014 16:04 | By GreertonBoy
The police can have a vehicle with a remote kill switch and cameras in the car.... leave the car at petrol stations with keys in it, the thief takes it, drives around the corner, the cops shut down the car when safe to do so.... recorded evidence to boot! Do it once and it will not happen again, unless the crooks are really stupid LMAO
Common sense.
Posted on 02-08-2014 16:51 | By dgk
I've found that keeping the car keys with me whenever I'm away from the car prevents all kinds of problems. And while this might be a radical concept to some, I recommend all drivers do the same thing.
Duh!
Posted on 02-08-2014 17:30 | By wayjan
Helloooo...anybody home!!! Leaving their keys in the ignition of an unattended/unlocked car...Seriously!!!
@ GreertonBoy
Posted on 02-08-2014 17:54 | By Papamoaner
A good suggestion for ordinary folk with a brain, but unfortunately the police are not allowed to do such common sense policing in this touchy feely namby pamby society dominated by fringe PC pressure groups. It's called entrapment and apparently not legal. We don't want to fill our prisons up with these maggots either. We need to see them chained together in road works gangs doing hard labour. Good old fashioned justice at low cost and very effective.
Help the Coppers on this one
Posted on 02-08-2014 21:52 | By The Caveman
I will be very happy for the coppers to fit a kill switch to MY personal car and I will park it in a service station with the keys in it - result -ratbag takes car, I kill the engine - OH coppers just around the corner that I phone and they grab the ratbag !!!!! No such thing as entrapment - the ratbag tried to nick a car that I as a private citizen "fixed" so that it don't go far.............. GOT YAH
you are dreaming papamoaner
Posted on 02-08-2014 22:10 | By CC8
entrapment is when the police entice you to do something illegal when you would not have done it with out their enticement. However NZ has no entrapment law...you have been watching too much American TV.
@CC8
Posted on 03-08-2014 14:06 | By Papamoaner
Commonly used in defence, sometimes successfully. American TV is irrelevant to the argument. Hell, I don't even watch NZ tv. I'm a Natrad & BBC freak mate. The bottom line is if you want a water tight prosecution, don't fish with bait. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against entrapment, but it won't work here - yet.
Ok then.....
Posted on 03-08-2014 19:06 | By GreertonBoy
What about putting a 200Db siren inside the car and rig the doors so they cant be opened from the inside... when the thief breaks in, siren goes off, cant get out.... wait for police to arrive to let him out. It might deter thieves from risking getting into someone elses car uninvited? They only do it because they know they can get away with it... usually! I am sure they will think twice if there is greater risk of getting caught. Bring on the entrapment, in this case, I reckon.... something needs to be done... and people need to learn not to leave their keys in cars or cars running unattended.... ultra stoopid idea, especially with babies/kids in the car as I have heard of happening before....
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