Police – Opportunistic offending

Happy New Year to all. I have really enjoyed my first couple of months in the role of officer-in-charge of the Warkworth Police and getting around and meeting our partner agencies and members of the community. Warkworth and the surrounding areas have seen a huge influx of visitors over the holiday period, but despite this, crime in the area has remained relatively low, which is good to see.

As students head back to classrooms, we want to remind road users to be extremely careful on roads around schools. Adhere to the speed limits and road conditions, wear seat belts and ensure correct car seats are fitted for children. We aim to be visible around school during pick-up and drop-off times.

Police across Waitemata have received multiple reports of suspicious behaviour in relation to mailbox theft across our wider area and, as a result, a search warrant was executed on January 30 in relation to this offending. One person has been arrested and charged, and the matter is before the court. We are not ruling out further arrests.

Although several cases of suspicious activities were reported to Police, we became aware of some of the activity via social media and word of mouth. Police encourage anyone who witnesses any suspicious activity to report it directly to Police via 111 if the incident is occurring at the time, or if there is a time delay, via 105 or their local station.

We also want to remind the community to be vigilant around such opportunistic offending. If possible, people should empty mailboxes frequently and report any suspicious behaviour. If you are going on holiday, ask your neighbour to collect your mail. Also consider getting expensive items couriered to your work address, if possible.

We are also asking courier drivers to be on the lookout for vehicles that may be following them and report any such activity to Police.