Following a spate of rural burglaries in Southland, it is a timely reminder to remain vigilant of what is happening on your property, FMG risk services manager Paul Ralph says.
Over the Christmas and New Year period there were more than 10 burglaries in rural Southland.
Detective Sergeant Grant Johnston, of the Invercargill Criminal Investigation Branch, said two men had been arrested in relation to the burglaries. Inquiries were continuing and further arrests were likely.
‘‘The charges relate to the burglary of more than 10 farm properties in which items were taken from implement sheds, and in one case a house. Police have recovered some of the stolen property, which includes fuel containers, electrical tools, frozen meat, jewellery, clothing and lawn mowers, as well as other items.’’
In the past five years, insurer FMG has paid out more than $22.4 million in burglary and theft claims nationwide in New Zealand.
On average there were about 28 claims a week, Mr Ralph said.
‘‘More than $1.2 millon has been paid for burglary/theft claims from the Otago [and] Southland regions in the last five years.’’
Farm bikes made up 44% of all the vehicle related theft claims in Southland, and more than half of all burglary and theft claims in Otago were related to domestic content claims, he said.
‘‘In addition to quad bikes commonly stolen farm items include chainsaws, petrol and diesel, general farm tools [including] drills, pliers, fencing equipment and small farm machinery.’’
In the past 12 months FMG, working with Federated Farmers and the New Zealand Police, has run a series of crime prevention workshops.
More workshops are planned for 2017 nationwide.
