Truth stranger than fiction in the case of Hamilton burglaries

Breaking into your mothers home, walking in with stolen property as Police interview your mate and ringing 111 to advise you've accidentally been involved in a burglary are all ammunition to the Hamilton Police's argument that truth is stranger than fiction after a trio of events yesterday.

City Tactical Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Freda Grace, said in the first case Police were called by a member of the public about a missing 16-year-old boy being at an address in the City.

"When Police arrived the boy was there along with a number of items that he admitted stealing. While officers were speaking to him a 20-year-old man arrived and was invited in by our staff. As he was entering the man put down a jewellery box that had just been stolen in a burglary."

"Both males are now assisting us in relation to inquiries into a number of home break-ins."

The next incident occurred about 1pm when burglars broke into an Ohaupo Rd address and set off a burglar alarm.

"Staff from a Bader St garage and a passing member of the public heard the noise and rang 111 just as the occupants of a car outside the address sped off.

"A short time later staff at the Northern Communications Centre advised they had been called by a man who reported he thinks he may have accidentally been involved in a burglary."

Ms Grace said the man then went into the Hamilton Central Police Station and while interviewed said he had been driving by when he noticed some old friends and stopped to talk to them.

"One man then went up to the house where the alarm was set off and came back running, telling him to hurry up and drive off, our inquiries are continuing to establish the veracity of these claims."

And if those incidents were enough for officers to believe Wednesday was a day to remember officers then received a call from a woman advising her son, who is barred from the property, had broken into the home.

"A neighbour had seen someone acting suspiciously and rang the victim. On arriving home the woman found a young woman in her home she didn't know.

"Her son then came out of another room and said he had broken in to cook a meal, fleeing before arrived the man was picked up a short time later and arrested on a number of outstanding warrants, that burglary and other matters."

Ms Grace said while all the incidents had an unusual aspect each had one thing in common.
"In each case a member of the public has noticed something isn't right and done something about it.

"This resulted in arrests in relation to two of the three cases and follow up inquiries with the other. Yesterday really is a good example why if you see something- you should do something and ring 111."