Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said police were called to a Ravelston St, Saint Kilda, address at about 8.30 last night after members of the public watched two men enter an enclosed yard and start dismantling and removing scaffolding from around an unoccupied house that was undergoing renovations.
The homeowner was alerted and arrived to confront the males just before police arrived, Sgt Lee said.
Police arrived to find a 44-year-old and a 37-year-old man at the property.
They had arrived in a vehicle displaying false registration plates, the trailer had no registration plates, and their ruse included wearing a "scaffolding jersey".
The men first claimed they were simply at the wrong address Sgt Lee said.
The pair appeared in the Dunedin District Court this morning, each facing a charge of burglary.
The older of the two was released on bail with conditions he not contact his co-defendant, not go within 100 metres of Ravelston St and reside at a Dunedin address on a night-time curfew.
He was due to reappear next month.
The younger man was remanded in custody overnight and is expected to make a bail application tomorrow.
