There were 17 burglaries in June, and residents need to be vigilant

Last month, police received reports of 17 break-ins and burglaries, and just days into July, a 15-year-old boy was arrested for illegally breaking into a property in Titikaweka.

Media/Strategic Consultant Trevor Pitt said they received three burglary complaints, one attempted burglary and one theft this week.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning for illegal discovery.

Pitt said he was one of three suspects spotted and pursued by police.

“The Titikaweka area has become a target for thieves in recent weeks,” he said.

Police advise residents to remain alert for suspicious activity in surrounding neighborhoods and to protect valuables.

He said cash and digital devices were the most common items stolen by thieves.

Meanwhile, despite last month’s surge in cases, the full-year total is still lower than last year — “more than 16% lower than 2023,” Pitt said.

He said burglaries around Rarotonga had been a major concern for police, with the number of burglaries hitting a five-year high last month.

The previous monthly high was 21 points in October 2019.

Mr Pitt said it was worrying that police resources were being used to investigate the case.

The change in the crime environment is reflected in the number of reported burglaries and thefts, mainly due to risk and vulnerability around tourist accommodation and beaches – an increase of 19% on 2021, according to the 2022-2023 Police Annual Report.

At the June parliamentary sitting, Prime Minister Mark Brown, who is also the police minister, said he would ensure community policing was restored to tackle rising crime rates on Rarotonga.

Brown said he would hold meetings with MPs from Puaikura and Takitumu to explore how community policing could be implemented as soon as possible.

Ngatangia MP Tukaka Ama agreed, after discussing the issue with Prime Minister Brown, that community policing needed to be reintroduced in Takitumu.

Ama said Ngatangia was the tourism hub of Rarotonga, so it was important to provide community policing services for everyone, including tourists visiting the area.