"Palmerston North youth arrested for vehicle thefts"

A 16-year-old male has been arrested and is facing multiple charges related to the unlawful taking of vehicles in Palmerston North.

The arrest, made yesterday, follows an increased focus on vehicle crime by Palmerston North Police over the last few weeks, after a series of vehicle thefts where early model Subaru vehicles were targeted.

Extensive enquiries were made into these incidents including examining CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses.

Senior Sergeant Steve Crawford says this is a timely reminder to the community to immediately report any suspicious activity to Police.

While Police will continue the focus on vehicle crime in Palmerston North, there are some things the community can do to help.

“It can take as little as five seconds for an offender to smash a window and grab an item from a vehicle, and the cost of repairing the smashed window is often greater than the value of the items taken.

“We have seen instances of vehicles being broken into just for spare change that was visible from outside the vehicle.

"There are some basic prevention measures people can take that will greatly reduce the chances of their vehicle being stolen or broken into: ensure you don’t keep valuables in your vehicle when it is unattended and always lock it, even if you are only away for a short time.

“Please report any suspicious behaviour to us as soon as you can, we would much rather attend a false alarm than miss the opportunity to apprehend an offender,” says Senior Sergeant Crawford.

ENDS

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