Just go home with your loot where the police can't get you!

It seems that if thieves steal stuff in New Zealand, that all they have to do to get away from police is to go home!

On Saturday night, Echo Liu, her husband Frank Yeng and their 1-year-old son Jayden returned to their Matipo St home in Riccarton to discover they had been burgled.

Among the items taken were Liu's iPhone, her diamond watch, the family's computer and iPads.

"They took a lot of stuff. They even took my skin care and make-up products," Liu said.

But Liu said the "most heartbreaking part" was that her iPhone and the computer contained all their photos of their son.

The couple instantly thought to turn-on the "find my iPhone" software they had installed on Liu's phone.

Using Yeng's iPhone the GPS showed Liu's iPhone was moving from Matipo St towards Riccarton Rd.

Liu called the police and explained they were tracking the offenders.

Yeng got in his car and followed the vehicle to a Gloucester St property and waited.

When the police arrived at the couple's Matipo St home Liu said she was told they could not inspect the Gloucester St property without a search warrant, which could take days to obtain.

Just bizarre!

Inspector Alan Weston said police currently needed a search warrant to enter a property.

However, a new Search and Surveillance Act, which was to come into effect shortly, would make searching a property "a lot more simple", he said.

The act will enable an officer to enter a place or vehicle without warrant to search for and arrest a person if the constable has "reasonable grounds".

Thank goodness for that.

Related link: Police powerless to act after couple track thieves