A German tourist who feared his New Zealand trip would end on a sour note instead left Auckland smiling, after Police tracked down and returned his stolen belongings just in time for his flight home.
The traveller reported a break-in to the Auckland Central Police Base on 19 November, after discovering his rental car — parked overnight on Crummer Road in Grey Lynn — had been targeted. His backpack, containing valuable electronics, a drone, passport, German ID documents, and bank cards, had been taken.
Inspector Grae Anderson, Auckland Central Area Commander, said front counter staff quickly spotted a silver lining: the man had left an AirTag inside his bag.
The signal led officers to an address in Wiri, prompting the City Area Prevention Team to secure a search warrant. The warrant was executed by the Auckland Central Tactical Crime Unit with support from Beat Section staff, resulting in the recovery of nearly all the stolen items.
During the search, Police also located a significant amount of unrelated cash and ammunition. Further enquiries uncovered the tourist’s discarded backpack in a skip bin at a nearby Manukau service station, along with several other suitcases and travel bags believed to belong to additional victims.
Police reunited the tourist with his recovered items at Auckland Airport as he awaited his departure.
“We’re pleased we could get his belongings back before he left,” Inspector Anderson said.
“It was a bad experience for him, but seeing our staff able to put things right was hugely satisfying.”
A 41-year-old man has since appeared in Auckland District Court, charged with theft ex-car and unlawful possession of ammunition. He has been remanded in custody to reappear on 11 December.
Welcome to what was New Zealand
Selective policing. I’ve heard of similar stories like this where tracking led to valuable stolen items being located at known gang members homes, but the cops refused to act. They probably just didn’t want this guy going to his embassy for action.
I know of a case where a vehicle was stolen and was being driven up and down the street of the owner who could not get the police to do diddly squat…an air tag now a days is your best bet… also we were robbed while at work, our home was emptied out in Onewhero, by a thug who was recently let out of jail and you could see him standing near the road clocking who went where and when… the police did nothing…they did come to the house but shrugged their shoulders even telling us who they suspected (aforementioned thug) yet they did not even bother to dust for fingerprints… nothing…there is so much theft here in NZ and it’s only getting worse with no jobs for low skilled munters to keep them from stealing everyone else’s stuff….even if there were jobs for them, the pay is not enough to keep them happy… so they still steal…
I’m not at all justifying theft, but anybody who leaves such valuable items in a rental car overnight in a foreign country must be a bit dumb.
He’s German. He probably thinks NZ is populated by nothing but quaint hobbits who like to eat second breakfasts.
Yep, theft, burglary and robbery turned NZ into anything but Godzone.
However, I spell it out for all whingers:
Theft…YOU and your children are robbed EVERY FRIGGIN DAY by the brigade that sold/sells Godzone to international ‘investors’ so that your sorry a*se gets a bit more socialist pampering while they are selling your soul. Why don’t you take it out on the biggest crime syndicates shafting Kiwis since decades?
And thejr headquarter is round.