Thieves have been outsmarted by an eagle-eyed community member and Police who have recovered a large haul of stolen property in a Pāpāmoa reserve.

'Recently I was contacted by a Neighbourhood Support member who, while walking their dog in a reserve, spotted by chance a stash of items hidden in the bushes,” says Pāpāmoa Neighbourhood Support Co-ordinator Bruce Banks.

'I went to the spot and glory be....what a huge haul it was. It was about three of four thousand dollars' worth.”

Bruce says the thieves had managed to hide the stolen property in the reserve close to the roadway 'where they could have come and be gone in five minutes.”

He says they noticed that an item of no value had been left alongside the road which seemed to be marking the spot, which would have made it easier for the thieves to return later and retrieve everything.

'It was clearly stolen very recently, and most likely the thief would have been returning after dark to collect the haul," says Bruce.

'We helped Police recover it all. It amounted to two full patrol cars of stuff, mainly mowers, garden tools and power tools. Police have now reunited the rightful owners with their property.”

Bruce says if the person out walking with their dog had turned a blind eye thinking they'd do something about it the following day, it probably would have been too late.

'I think it was stashed ready for collection that night. I was there by 5pm and the Police were there by 5.30pm. They had to bring another car down because there was so much there.”

Bruce says it only took a few enquiries before Pāpāmoa Constable Adrian Oldham tracked down the owners.

'They are from two properties that backed onto the waterway in Pāpāmoa ,” says Bruce. "The thieves pinched it and stashed it all into one spot within a couple of hundred metres in each case.”

He says when people return home and check their tools and find they only have a battery and not the mower, just go and have a look in the nearest bushes.

"It might be there waiting to be collected later.”

He says the two break-ins could have been preventable by simply having a padlock on the two sheds.

'It's a good reminder – buy a $10 padlock, come on people,” says Bruce. 'Give your garden shed a gift that could prevent you from being the next victim of a theft from an insecure garden shed.”

Pāpāmoa Neighbourhood Support Co-ordinator Bruce Banks says Mitre 10 have padlocks available for $11.25. Photo: Supplied.

Bruce sent out the reminder about garden sheds and padlocks on Christmas Eve, and included a Christmas message for the thousands of people involved in Neighbourhood Support groups across Pāpāmoa.

'The smell of pine with Christmas trees decorated beautifully and surrounded by all those gifts just waiting to be discovered early tomorrow,” writes Bruce on Christmas Eve in his newsletter update. 'That's for the fortunate ones among us. For some it is not such a great time."

Neighbourhood Support is not just about preventing crime in a suburb but also watching out for each other in other ways.

'Maybe they are isolated from family this year? Maybe they are alone through no fault of their own? Maybe they are just doing it tough this year? Maybe they are isolating with Covid - and quite a few are?"

Bruce says his challenge to everyone this year is to be thankful for "how lucky we are and reach out to a neighbour who may not be so lucky".

'Share a coffee and Christmas cake or a cold beverage of your choice or at the very least reach out with a very "Merry Christmas" over the fence," says Bruce.

'You might just make someone's day a whole lot brighter.”

Neighbourhood Support relies on grants, sponsors and donations to help keep the community a safe place to live.

'The generosity of our community helps us to continue the good work by all our volunteers,” says Bruce.

'If you can spare some small change we can put it to good use, any amount will help.”

To join a Neighbourhood Support group in your area or help sponsor and support the work of Neighbourhood Support, email Bruce Banks on nspapamoa@wbopns.org.nz