Three Maori Hill flatmates have been left disgusted by the brazen disregard of the burglars who entered their house during Labour Weekend.
The thieves took electronics, clothing, an heirloom shotgun and even the flatmates' underwear from the trio's Lynn St home.
Adding insult, one of the intruders had defecated in a toilet and did not flush before leaving.
''They have already come into our house and stole all your [gear] and then they do something like that,'' occupant Damon Johnson said in disbelief.
He and flatmates Stuart Henderson and Ryan Keogh are in no doubt their home was targeted by the same burglars who stole more than $50,000 worth of goods from a nearby house in Balmacewen Rd, Wakari.
The three flatmates were away for the long weekend and returned on Monday to find cupboards and drawers turned out and thousands of dollars of possessions and clothing missing.
''They even stole our ... undies and socks,'' Mr Henderson said.
''The only ones left had holes in them.''
Most galling was the theft of a semi-automatic shotgun which Mr Henderson's sick grandfather had recently given as a gift.
''That's granddad's gun. It means the world to me,'' he said.
It was secured in a gun rack, along with an air rifle, and hidden in a bedroom cupboard. However, the burglars had enough time to search the house for the keys and then unlock and steal the firearms.
The trio's drawers had also been rummaged through.
''It's almost like they have tried on the clothes that fit and left the other ones,'' Mr Henderson said.
''It's like they have gone shopping in our place,'' Mr Johnson added.
Mr Keogh owned the house and was fully insured. However, Mr Johnson and Mr Henderson had no insurance.
''You never think it's going to happen to you,'' Mr Henderson said.
The three were most concerned about the firearms falling into the wrong hands.
''It's quite alarming,'' Mr Henderson said.
Despite their losses, Mr Henderson and Mr Johnson were philosophical about the burglary.
''We can't do anything about it,'' Mr Henderson said.
''You've just got to move on. It's one of those things that happen.''
The same burglars may have tried to enter a nearby house, but been foiled by a 5-year-old pitbull-bull mastiff cross named Carla.
Kevin Little, who lives in the house, said two windows were broken, but it appeared Carla had scared away the burglars.
They had attempted to enter his house between 1.45pm and 2.15pm on Sunday, while he was away, he said.
Senior Sergeant Liz Waru said police were awaiting forensic results in all three burglaries.
While the cases had a similar modus operandi, police had not definitively linked them, she said.
In the Balmacewen Rd raid, intruders entered the house after jemmying a window and then ransacked the home, taking items worth more than $50,000, as reported yesterday in the Otago Daily Times.
It appeared the burglars loaded the property, including computer hard drives, five televisions, tools and appliances, into the couple's 2006 Ford BF Falcon XR6 ute and drove away.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious or noticed suspicious vehicles in Wakari and Maori Hill during Labour Weekend was urged to contact Dunedin police on 471-4800. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
