Police are urging campers to lock vehicles, secure equipment, and look out for each other following an uptick in campground thefts.

Senior Sergeant Cam Mackinnon said thefts at campgrounds tended to increase during summer due to population spikes in holiday destination towns such as Whakatāne.  

With more visitors in town, items such as kayaks, bikes, and camping gear were targeted. While many campgrounds had barriers to limit vehicle access, he said walk-in thefts remained difficult to prevent.

There were also ongoing issues with unlocked vehicles and retail crime in Whakatāne.

Additional foot patrol beat cops were expected to be rolled out in areas such as The Strand and Kopeopeo in February.