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An alleged fuel thief and his partner in crime have been arrested just south of our border, in northern Waikato, thanks to a security camera and a quick tip-off.
Police were called to Horsham Downs on the outskirts of Hamilton on Wednesday night after a person was seen via a CCTV feed siphoning more than 200 litres of diesel from a tank.
Inspector Andrew Mortimore (Waikato Police) says timing was crucial to the capture.
“The person watching all this unfold did everything right – they called 111 straight off the bat and provided really helpful information. That gave us a head start.
“By the time the suspect finished filling the drum and a container on his ute, units had closed in, and others waiting on nearby roads. The offender probably got a bit of surprise when he saw the patrol car coming up the road, because he took off in the ute at a rate of knots!”
A pursuit commenced but soon ended when the ute’s front tyres were spiked near Ngaruawahia. The driver lost control on north Waikato’s Waingaro Road. A short foot chase, and minor police dog bite, later the duo was in hand
“This arrest is a great result,” Mortimore says. “This isn’t the first time the property has been hit and it causes a heap of pain and inconvenience, not to mention expense.
“This [case] really shows the value of having working security systems in place and contacting police immediately when something doesn’t look right.”
A 32-year-old man has been charged with burglary, driving while suspended, failing to stop and dangerous driving. A 28-year-old woman has also been charged with burglary.
Further inquiries are underway to establish if the pair is linked to other thefts in the region.
