A man has appeared in court charged with a series of burglaries of Alexandra businesses last month.
Constable Sam Williams, of the Central Otago CIB, said Canterbury detectives investigating an unrelated matter discovered a small number of items from one of the Alexandra burglaries at a house in Riccarton, Christchurch, recently.
Michael Richard McKenzie (46), a digger driver, had since been charged with more than 20 burglaries and other offences committed in North Otago, Alexandra, South Canterbury and Marlborough, Const Williams said.
More charges were likely to be laid.
McKenzie had pleaded guilty to the majority of the burglary charges, including one representative charge of burglary relating to the Alexandra businesses. He was remanded in custody to appear in the Rangiora District Court on July 8.
A 16-year-old youth had also been referred to the Christchurch Youth Aid section for his alleged involvement in these offences, Const Williams said.
Most of the items stolen - cash, computers and clothing - had not been recovered.
