Police raided a south Invercargill house yesterday morning, taking away several Mazda Demio vehicles in the process.
A police team, which included a police photographer and arrived in at least four unmarked cars, was seen at the property where the principal tenant was not home at the time of the raid.
It was understood one of the occupiers of the house had been living at the address for only a short time.
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said in the past few months since the tenants had moved in, there had been ‘‘a lot of interesting visitors coming and going at all hours of the day and night’’.
Two tow trucks removed the vehicles from the property about 11.30am.
Sources told the Otago Daily Times police had recovered three of five Demio vehicles suspected to have been stolen. Police were unable to provide any further information yesterday as investigations were ongoing.
The Otago Daily Times reported in April this year the Mazda Demio had the dubious honour of being New Zealand’s most stolen car.
Of the 12,000 claims AMI received between 2019 and 2021, the Demio accounted for 10% of the total, in spite of making up just 1.5% of the country’s fleet.
The Mazda Demio was also the most likely to be recovered, with about 94% of those stolen recovered.
