Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Police are holding two crime prevention events in Christchurch this week as they respond to an increase in vehicle thefts, vehicle break-ins and licence plates being stolen.
Provisional figures provided to RNZ showed 414 cars were reported stolen in the city last month. That compares to 459 reports in October and 455 in November, where in one week alone the police received just over 150 reports of vehicles being stolen.
In early November, Canterbury Metro Area commander superintendent Lane Todd described this as a "significant increase" in thefts, mostly attributed to recent youth offending.
Police would be running the events in Wigram on Thursday and Halswell on Friday this week.
"Police are seeing an increase in vehicle thefts, vehicle break-ins and licence plates being stolen.
"The Neighbourhood Policing Team will be there providing prevention advice and demonstrating how to fit steering wheel locks and anti-theft licence plate screws."
They said there would also be a limited number of steering locks to give away to owners of high risk car models - Nissan Tiida, Toyota Aqua, MarkX, Mazda Demio and Subaru Impreza.