Jucy Heist: Police check CCTV, arrests continue to rise

Police are reviewing CCTV footage as the number of arrests in connection with the large-scale theft of rental cars in South Auckland has continued to rise.

By noon yesterday, the police had recovered 78 vehicles and made 27 arrests, prompting 13 prosecutions so far.

Police continue to review CCTV images as part of their ongoing investigations.

Police now believe that only 17 vehicles are missing, which would result in the total vehicles being stolen during or around Anzac’s long 95 weekend.

At one time it was feared that as many as 112 had been taken.

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On Wednesday, Commanding Inspector for the West Manukau Counties area, Matt Srhoj, told the Herald that the value of the stolen cars was believed to be roughly between $ 10,000 and $ 30,000 each.

“It is a significant value. We treat all crimes, private theft and vehicle crimes, seriously, but something of this magnitude obviously has a great impact on the victim and we want to do the best we can for the victim,” he said.

Some of the people who had been arrested had a gang connection, but Srhoj said that was not necessarily unusual.

Some of the addresses where the police found the cars were also known to the police.

Some vehicles had been for sale on the Facebook Marketplace at low prices.

Srhoj reminded the audience that if something seemed too good to be true, it probably was.

“It is definitely a crime to receive stolen property. The fact that it is greatly undervalued is a good indication that it very well could be.”

A few cars had been offered for a couple of thousand when they would be expected to be valued at around $ 10,000.

“It is suspicious activity and should be reported to the police.”

His message to the public was clear.

“Right now, these vehicles are likely to stick out, they will look out of place where they are.”

“Call the police. Call us at line 105 and tell us. It is really important that we retrieve these vehicles and return them to the owners.”