Operation Pearl Returns

As a result of Operation Pearl in November 2011 Police recovered a number of stolen grave plaques from a scrap metal merchant.

Police will follow up with further visits to Auckland and Northland Second Hand Dealers, Scrap Metal Merchants, Gold Buyers and Automotive Dismantlers in the weeks prior to Christmas.

Inspector Gary Davey of Waitematä Police says, "while the majority of organisations dealing in second hand goods and scrap metal are honest businesses, there are a number that are turning a blind eye to receiving stolen goods, and worse, actively involved in the distribution of stolen goods."

Police are working with members of the second hand goods and scrap metal industries to make it harder for criminals to make a living out of crime.

There has been a recent rise in the number of stolen cars in Auckland and Northland and Inspector Davey says a large number of them end up as scrap metal. With the recent launch of the publicly available stolen vehicle database http://www.police.govt.nz/stolen/vehicles Police are encouraging Automotive Dismantlers to check all vehicle parts brought into their premises. "Automotive Dismantlers will now have no excuses for any stolen vehicle parts found on their property now that they can easily check registrations, engine numbers, chassis numbers and VIN numbers" says Mr Davey.

Police are also encouraging people to enter all serial numbers of their valuable belongings on http://www.snap.org.nz in order to make it easier to trace stolen property.

Anyone with any information about stolen property is encouraged to call their local police station, or if they wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.