Reward offered after junk dumped at church
Someone’s junk is someone else’s treasure, but not in the case of St Pauls Methodist Church.
The church on Kelso St, Tokoroa, was recently used as a dumping ground with people’s unwanted couches and mattress being left at the back of the building.
At her wits end, church member Melissa Hill put photos of the furniture on Facebook asking if anyone has seen the people responsible dumping them.
‘‘We are needing your urgent help please Tokoroa,’’ she said in the post.
‘‘Today we have discovered that someone is using the back of our church as a dumping ground for their old couches and mattresses.’’
A reward was offered for anyone who had information on who was responsible with three witnesses, who lived nearby, coming forward.
The information helped identify the culprits and that information was now being passed on to the police.
It was not yet know if it had lead to an arrest.
Husband Robert Hill said that neighbours of the church saw a four-wheel drive and trailer leaving a driveway leading into the gully behind the church.
He said that the neighbour didn’t see the colour or number plate of the car as it was dark but did see it leave.
The couches were stacked neatly against the wall which indicated that some time and effort was spent there.
‘‘They came in and did a good job of stacking it,’’ Hill said.
Hill said he felt angry like any other human being would be if this were to happen to them.
‘‘For me it is very sad for people to do this sort of thing especially to a church’’
He said if the people who did this had been honest the church they would have been more than happy to help dispose of the couches.
Instead he had to reach into his own pocket to hire a trailer and take at least two loads to the dump to get rid of them.
Although there had been a lot of anger on social media Hill said he wasn’t complaining as it was just part of life.
‘‘When people can’t afford something go to a church and ask the leaders,’’ he said.
‘‘There is no harm or shame in asking they would be glad to help.’’