Gotcha – Man arrested while breaking into cars

Police in Levin caught a car jacker in the act
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A twenty-one-year-old has been arrested after allegedly breaking into three vehicles in Oxford Street Levin on Wednesday morning in an attempt to steal them.

At about 6am yesterday 19 June, police were alerted by members of the public to suspicious activity involving a man inside a vehicle and two other vehicles nearby with broken windows.

Response Manager Horowhenua, Senior Sergeant Sam Gilpin says “Our staff were very quick to arrive at the scene and discovered the man ‘red-handed’ in one of the vehicles and two other cars on the same street with broken windows.

It’s clear where entry has been made and significant damage has occurred to each vehicle’s ignition barrel.

“We’ve received three reports from three different victims along the same street,” says Snr Sgt Gilpin.

“We understand that the man had been unlawfully entering these vehicles on Oxford Street causing damage to windows and has tried to start each vehicle with tools.”

He says the male was taken into custody without further incident, and charged.

“This result should reassure the community that we have absolutely no tolerance for this type of offending.  We know this is frustrating for people and we are glad to get this person off the street.

“We’d like to thank members of the community who spotted the man while he was offending and called Police straight way on 111.”

The 21-year-old man is facing charges of Unlawfully interfering with a Motor vehicle, Possession of an Offensive Weapon and Possession of Instruments for Conversion and will appear in the Levin District Court on 10 July 2024.

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