Dementia sufferer wanders
Police received a call from the family of an elderly woman who suffers from dementia and had wandered away from her Pebblebrook home on August 19. The woman was eventually found by a member of the public and returned safely home.
“Any families who have members who are unwell and may wander, see about getting them a ‘wander tracker’ or identity bracelet,” Senior Constable Graham Gough says. “If you come across people wandering around the streets in a disorientated fashion, call 111, offer some reassurance and stay with them until police arrive.”
For more info contact WanderSearch Auckland Charitable Trust, 09 480 4448, auckland@wandersearch.co.nz
Phone scammers
Two unsuspecting overseas scammers rang Mangawhai Police Station in late August, offering to fix their Microsoft software. However after clarifying the callers had indeed rang the NZ Police, surprisingly the scammers immediately hung up, Constable Gough says.
“Unfortunately the scammers are targeting the elderly,” he says. “There’s also a group ringing around telling people they have a tax return and just need an account number. IRD would not call and ask for this information. Please do not give any personal details over the phone.”
Suspicious fire
Local police are looking into a suspicious fire which began in a wood box at a Cullen Street property on August 19. Constable Dale Wewege says the owners were inside their home around 9.45pm, when they suddenly saw flames coming from the box which was situated on the deck.
“Fortunately they managed to extinguish the fire by themselves as the flames started to go up the side of the house,” he says. “At this time we are still not clear on how the fire started, if it was deliberate or somehow accidental.”
Vehicles stolen
A couple of vehicles were stolen throughout August. A 2002 red Holden ute, license plate DRZ802 was taken from Mangawhai surf beach sometime in the afternoon on August 19 and a 1995 green/silver Mitsubishi Pajero was taken from a Kanuka Place address on August 14. Please contact police if you have any information on the thefts.
Cleaner investigated
A local woman is under investigation after property from a house she was cleaning, turned up for sale on Trade Me, Constable Gough says. “We’ve received reports of a theft of some fishing gear and are currently making enquires.”
-- REPORTING/Julia Wade
