It's been a rough start to the year for some university students who have returned to flats in Christchurch to find them ransacked by thieves.
Police say opportunistic thieves are targeting students, knowing they're away for the holidays.
Quinn Thompson and his flatmates returned from their holidays to find their home turned over, with thousands of dollars worth of items missing.
"I'm not quite sure what you can do to be honest," Mr Thompson said when asked how to prevent the incidents.
They're not alone, at least 10 other flats around Canterbury University have been burgled and university Facebook pages around the country are full of reports of students coming home to a nasty surprise.
"They don't care that we're living off allowance or summer work. They know we're all struggling," student Beth Hardy told 1NEWS.
Police say the number of burglaries this year is not unusual, but warn that anyone leaving their home for even a short break should make sure it's secure.
They recommend security lights, heavy duty locks and having someone watch for visitors at unusual hours in order to keep neighbourhoods safe.
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