Burglary Record Last Month

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 14

Burglary Record Last Month

A record number of 198 burglaries was reported to the Christchurch police last month. This is the biggest number of burglaries for any one month since the crime prevention section began taking statistics in 1963.

The previous record was 168 burglaries in July. In August the number was 135. The crime prevention officer (Detective-Sergeant E. J. Stackhouse) said that isolated business premises suffered heavily last month. They included lock-up shops, suburban blocks of lock-up businesses, school offices and canteens, and builders’ sites and sheds. One hundred and twentythree business premises were broken into but nothing was stolen from 41 of them. In many cases only small amounts of cash or goods were stolen.

“However, damage was done by the intruders breaking in, and in many eases the cost to the owners by way of damage was greater than the

value of the property taken. “The value of a burglar alarm, not necessarily a complicated or expensive one, is clearly shown in the burglary figures over recent months,” Detective-Sergeant Stackhouse said. “The burglar alarm attracts the attention of neighbours or

passers-by and frightens the burglars off. With 10.15 p.m. closing there will be more people about and burglar alarms will be heard and the police informed," he said. He said that 75 private • dwellings had been burgled • last month and the burglars ■ took nothing in 18 houses. I Damage was often done when i the houses were broken into. Last month 211 thefts were reported* the second i highest number in any one i month. The record number of i thefts reported was 230 in I July, and in August the i number was 157.

Last month detectives in the C.LB., Christchurch, dealt with 72 offenders on charges of burglary, theft, and false pretences. Fifty-two vehicles were unlawfully taken last month, compared with 50 the previous month and a record 61 in July.

An increase in eases of wilful damage was also reported. Last month 32 cases were reported, compared with 22 the previous month and nine in July. ,