Too good to be true? It probably is.
Police are warning people to be careful about buying goods from social media.
That shiny new item on sale for a bargain may be too good to be true, police say.
The warning comes after two people were arrested for allegedly attempting to sell stolen items.
The arrests follow investigations into mail and parcel thefts in Hobsonville and Greenhithe, West Auckland.
An 18-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man have been charged with burglary, theft of mail and fraud related matters.
A number of stolen items are appearing for sale on social media, a police spokesperson said.
Often these could be brand new items, which are stolen, listed for sale.
"In the past offenders have created fake profiles in order to sell stolen items, before blocking buyers shortly after," police said.
If buying online, you should:
*Check the social media profile of the seller. Is it a new profile or relatively blank? It could be a fake profile.
*Be cautious if the seller insists on meeting at a public place. This could mean the vendor is selling stolen items and doesn't want to be identified.
*Use a reputable online site to sell items.
*Go by the saying, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."
If you are having parcels delivered, police recommend you require a signature for your delivery and arrange to have your parcel left in a place hidden from the road.
Recipients are encouraged to get their parcels delivered to a work address or if possible, to collect the goods from the courier's depot.
If you see suspicious activity, phone 111 immediately.
Phone 105 to report a burglary.
Have you been the victim of a parcel theft?
Have you seen goods on social media which seemed too good to be true?
If so, can you give some examples?
*Please put NFP if you do not want your comments used by Stuff.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.7% Yes
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14.8% No
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2.5% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.