Police answered an alleged car knocker's call in West Harbour overnight.
At around 2.30am, a 111 call was made about a man trying car doors of vehicles parked around Picasso Drive.
Waitematā West Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Damian Albert, says the alleged offender was disturbed after a sensor light on a CCTV camera activated.
"Police responded to the area and began enquiries to locate the offender," he says.
A Police dog and handler also deployed to the area.
"The Police dog continued to track the offender's movements, and carried on for nearly a kilometre where a man was located."
The 44-year-old man was quickly arrested.
Senior Sergeant Albert says the man has been charged with unlawfully being in an enclosed yard, and unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle.
He is expected in the Waitākere District Court on 22 January 2024.
"This is a great example of some of the steps homeowners can take to make their properties less of an easy target for opportunistic offenders," Senior Sergeant Albert says.
"Home CCTV is becoming more and more affordable, and even having a simple sensor light could be the difference in an offender deciding to hang around or not.
"I would like to acknowledge the community for their vigilance and reporting suspicious activity promptly to Police."
