Dunedin police have sounded the alarm about suspicious people and known criminals lurking around the University area, preying on vulnerable students flatting for the first time. Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said people known to police were seen hanging around North Dunedin streets near the University of Otago last night, and warned it only takes a few minutes to burgle a flat. Students were urged to keep their flats locked at all times, even if popping out a brief period, and to be aware of what their flatmates were up to. Police would be conducting patrols on foot around the University of Otago area and speaking to students about keeping safe, he said. Last night, police were called after to reports of people throwing bottles resulting in smashed windows, but officers were unable to identify the culprits.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 11, 2019 22:30 UTC