An alleged burglar in Dunedin’s student area has been caught by police after residents reported his suspicious behaviour.
Police said the 20-year-old man was arrested on Sunday and had been charged in relation to four burglaries in the Cosy Dell area over a three-day period.
Detective Mark Durant praised the residents who alerted police.
"Our message to students and wider community is don’t feel bad about calling us to report something or someone who looks out of the ordinary — you’re not going to get in trouble if you’re wrong, and it could prevent you or someone else from becoming the victim of crime."
University of Otago proctor Dave Scott said burglaries were a timely reminder to students in north Dunedin flats to be safety-conscious and keep their flats secure.
Police issued a warning to lock windows and doors in the evenings and any other time no-one was at the address, pull curtains at night or when changing, bring washing in from clothes lines in the evening and for students to use the Campus Watch walk-home service and the free safety patrol that operated Wednesday to Saturday from 11pm to 3am.
