Beware cheap laptops, say police after $100,000 raid

Police in Christchurch are warning people not to be tempted by offers of cheap laptop computers after a $100,000 burglary in the city.

More than 50 Hewlett Packard and Compaq computers, together with printers monitors and other computer gear disappeared from a suburban warehouse early on Labour Day, police said today.

A small white flat deck Isuzu truck was taken from the Addington distribution warehouse and used to make several trips removing the gear, Detective Sergeant Todd Hamilton, of Christchurch police, said.

The truck was recovered several kilometres away in Harewood the following day, October 24.

Mr Hamilton said the value of the stolen equipment was "getting close to $100,000".

Police wanted to hear from anyone who noticed suspicious activity in the Addington area on Labour Day or had noticed the movements of the Isuzu truck.

Mr Hamilton said the large number of computers taken in the raid "have to go somewhere" and police wanted to hear from anyone who was being offered cut-rate laptops.

People buying items for "considerably less than the going rate" were liable to be charged with receiving, he said.

If police seized items as stolen goods, purchasers were unlikely to get them back and would lose their money.