Car yard catches out crook

The antics of a suspected burglar have gone viral after a car yard posted footage of the person’s late-night antics online.

Portage Cars in Auckland compiled the video for TikTok after a man was caught on camera prowling around its business before he was arrested by police.

Craig Rutherford, general manager, says the offender jumped over the yard’s fence and then shimmied along one row of cars on the ground.

After his actions had been monitored by a security company, spotlights at the yard were turned on and the man shut himself in a car until police came and made an arrest.

Rutherford adds: “Our guys at Vanguard Security, the technology they have on here and all our yards is amazing, they watched him, kept us in the loop the whole time.” 

“I think it was when he realised that we put the spotlights on him, he went and hid in a car.”

Rutherford believes the unsuccessful raider was after catalytic converters and the valuable metals they contain, reports the NZ Herald.

Police in the UK and US have seen a surge of the emissions-cleaning devices being stolen  from cars in recent years. Meanwhile, officers recorded more than 50 similar cases in Canterbury in 2021.

To watch the NZ Herald’s video report, click here.