Auckland's billboard burglar has gone to ground after a photograph of him stealing transformers appeared on billboards around the city.
The man was snapped by a concerned member of the public who gave the photograph to the billboard company which in turn plastered it around the city with the message: "Who is this thief? $500 reward."
The campaign worked and after several calls to police identifying the man, police said he appeared to have gone to ground, although he was believed to be homeless.
Sergeant Roy Simpson said police checked where he could be last night or any addresses, including family and friends.
"He has obviously gone under cover somewhere. We are still trying to trace him down," Mr Simpson said.
The man was photographed removing $500 worth of transformers from a billboard one Sunday last month.
The billboard company said the man knew what he was doing when he removed the transformers during daylight. At night a time switch sent power through them to light up the billboard and after the transformers were taken the live wires were arcing and flashing over the roof all night, said Mark Venter from OTW Advertising.
Mr Venter said the man was a "mongrel" and he was delighted he could identify him.
