A tiny house pod stolen from Tiny House Builders Ltd in Katikati was successfully recovered on Thursday afternoon, thanks to community tip-offs.
The bespoke two-bedroom pod, along with its trailer and a company truck, was brazenly stolen in the early hours of Monday morning, sparking an immediate and widespread call to action led by the company's founder, Rebecca McLean.
The theft occurred after thieves skilfully evaded security measures, manipulating the property's cameras, and forcefully breaching the security gates. The stolen items included a uniquely designed tiny pod, which was awaiting delivery to the client within the fortnight and custom tiny house trailer. McLean's prompt response to the incident involved reaching out through social media, urging the community to report any sightings of the distinctive structure.
Her appeal paid dividends when many sightings and tip-offs came through. The information was swiftly relayed to the police, who executed a search warrant, leading to the pod's recovery on a residential property in Ngongotahā, along with other stolen goods.
A breakthrough came when members of the public reported seeing the stolen pod being towed towards Rotorua, with the abandoned truck later being found on Wednesday in the Pyes Pa area. The community's tips were crucial, leading to a police search warrant being executed at a residential property in Ngongotahā on Thursday afternoon. The operation resulted in the pod's recovery, one arrest, and ongoing investigations for an additional suspect.
South Waikato Load Pilots and Towing played a pivotal role in the pod’s return, ensuring the tiny house was safely transported back to Tiny House Builders on Friday morning. Despite the successful recovery, the company reported that some of the staging furniture was damaged, and the pod had sustained significant cladding damage during the ordeal, but nothing that can’t be fixed.
The rapid response and substantial public support have been commended by McLean, who expressed profound gratitude towards the community and the police for their relentless efforts in ensuring the return of the stolen property. She continued to receive sighting reports even on it’s return trip to their yard.
The recovery of the tiny house pod is a testament to the strong sense of community, demonstrating that unity and vigilance can make a significant difference in combating crime. Tiny House Builders Ltd is now reviewing their security measures to prevent future incidents.
The company remains committed to providing unique tiny house solutions and is grateful towards the community and the police for their indispensable roles in the recovery process. She also reiterated the importance of security awareness and community support in preventing such incidents in the future.
For those looking to reduce the risk of their tiny house being stolen, we recommend reading the article "Thieves Love Tiny Houses Too: Keep Yours Secure with These Tips!" for valuable security insights and tips. This guidance could prove essential in protecting your cherished tiny home from potential theft.
