Police hunting for man who stole key to 62-unit Wollongong block

The alleged crime occurred between May 31 and June 4 at the recently completed Novello development on Young Street, with police releasing photos this week of a man wanted for questioning.

"He's stolen one key to the building," Wollongong Police District Inspector James Dark said.

No other items were stolen during the break-in and Inspector Dark said the thief may have been disturbed and rushed off, or is planning a return to the property.

"They do it so they can come back another time," he said.

The Mercury contacted the building's strata management company, Netstrata, for comment on the theft and potential security risks for people living in the property, however received no response.

The man wanted for questioning was captured on CCTV after he broke into the Novello's underground car park, with four photos released by police.

Officers said the man is aged in his 40s and at the time of the theft was dressed as a tradie, with tan coloured tradie pants, a high-visibility orange jumper with a hood over his head.

The man was riding a bicycle and pictured with a black coloured backpack on his back.

The number of break and enters at residential properties has dropped by 26 per cent in the Wollongong local government area during the past five years.

In the 12 months to March 2019 there were 664 instances of this crime reported to police, this has dropped to 489 during the 12 months to March 2024, data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows.

If you have any information that could assist police call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.