Police warn about radar detector thefts

Sergeant Blair Wilkinson. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Sergeant Blair Wilkinson. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Oamaru police have issued a further warning for Waitaki vehicle owners to be wary following a series of thefts and break-ins.

Dash cams and radar detectors, which are used to evade detection by police for speeding, are the common thread.

Again, this week, a window was smashed in a vehicle parked in Arthur St and a radar detector was stolen.

Sergeant Blair Wilkinson said it occurred between 7pm on Tuesday night and 6.30am on Wednesday.

The latest incident follows a brazen daylight incident on October 31 where a Jaguar was broken into in Beach Rd.

Community Constable Rachael Osborn said the vehicle was locked and its owner out fishing.

"The owner was alerted to it being broken into by a couple who were going for a walk along the beach."

The Jag owner returned to find their Garmin dash camera, Uniden radar detector R8 and batteries for a Kontiki stolen.

Const Osborn said reports of vehicle break-ins around Oamaru have had this common thread in the past month.

"The vehicles broken into appear to have been targeted for their radar detectors."

Others were on October 6 in Sandringham St, where a Redband radar detector was stolen (police file ref 241007/0042) and overnight on October 19 in Hull St, where a Uniden Protector DFR7 radar detector was lifted (police file ref 241020/6309).

A radar detector theft in Timaru on October 20 had also emerged.

In that case a Uniden DFR 1 NZ radar detector was taken from a vehicle at a Brenda St address (police file ref 241022/2209).

Const Osborn urged anyone with information to phone 105 or Crimestoppers quoting police file reference 241101/8449.

Meanwhile, vehicle owners should take precautions, she said.

"Police encourage vehicle owners to store their vehicles in their garage or driveway where possible, to always keep their vehicles locked, and if they own a radar detector to remove or hide this from sight when not in use."

Ms Osborn also encouraged home owners or businesses within the targeted areas that might have CCTV footage of the incidents to register with Community Cam online.