The number of vehicles being stolen in Rotorua is on the rise, police say.
Phillip Taikato, Rotorua Area Commander, said in the last month alone, a total of 160 vehicles have been reported stolen.
"A lot of the time, these vehicles have been taken by people wanting to go for a joy-ride and in other cases offenders use these vehicles to commit other crimes."
Taikato said although the bulk of the vehicles stolen in the last month had been recovered, police want people to put prevention measures in place to avoid their vehicle being stolen in the first place.
READ MORE: New Zealand's top 10 most stolen cars revealed
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These measures include:
- Investing in an anti-theft system such as a steering wheel lock or alarm system which will immobilise the vehicle
- Giving the impression an alarm system is installed with stickers on windows or flashing LEDs on the dashboard
- Always locking your vehicle, even when it is parked in the driveway
- Never leaving your keys in an unattended vehicle
- Avoiding leaving valuables like CDs, laptops, mobile phones and GPS devices in one's car
- Trying to park in well-lit areas when parking at night
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