Hawke's Bay Police are still seeing a rise in the number of heavy vehicle batteries being stolen in recent months.
Over the past few months there have been 19 reports of heavy vehicle batteries being stolen from orchards, commercial
businesses and rural properties in Napier, and 13 reports in Hastings.
Acting Detective Sergeant Stephen Leonard says people should make an effort to record the make, model and size of their
batteries.
“Making these batteries difficult for thieves to get to by parking your vehicles in a secure place or in a well-lit area
is the best thing to do.
“But if you can’t do that, then marking the battery in some way to make it identifiable and hard for thieves to get off
is the next best thing.”
Sergeant Leonard says this can be done with colourful spray paint, or even engraving the plastic outer of the battery
with an engraver or a soldering iron.
Other security options for people to consider include installing CCTV or wireless alert systems which can activate an
alarm in your house to alert you that someone is in your shed by alarm or light sensors.
These devices are highly effective and can even work in areas across some distance, where there is no cell coverage.
There are also satellite GPS devices available that can be installed covertly on items such as quad bikes and other
machinery which can be tracked if they get stolen.
Satellite devices also do not require cell coverage to track.