CRIME BRIEFS
■ On Thursday, May 17 an elderly man withdrew cash from the Westpac ATM in Waipawa, but accidently left his card in the machine when he left. Another person standing behind him then used his card to withdraw $300. This offender could see that this gentleman was a superannuitant and still took advantage, which makes their actions even more despicable. Please be vigilant using these machines, and make sure you complete your transaction and retrieve your card.
■ On May 18, Central Equestrian on High Street in Waipawa was burgled. Offenders forced one of the windows and reached in to remove an unknown number of horse covers which were on shelves just inside the window. These covers are the WeatherBeeta brand. Please contact police or the shop owner if you hear of anyone trying to sell new horse covers.
■ On May 20, a car was broken into outside a Carpenter St address in Waipukurau and a hunting jacket was stolen.
■ On May 22, a tradesman’s vehicle was broken into on Mitchell Street in Waipukurau and power tools valued at $2500 were stolen including a Hitachi powerdrill, Hitachi power grinder, Dwalt hammer drill, Dwalt impact driver, Dwalt cordless grinder, and Dwalt multi-tool. Please contact police or CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 if you have any information relating to these offences or anything else of interest to police.
■ On May 21, two young men attempted a rather ambitious walk from the Kashmir Rd end to the Waikamaka Hut in the Ruahine Ranges. They grossly underestimated the time and effort involved and ended up being stranded in darkness, bad weather and low cloud. Fortunately they were able to use their cell phones to raise the alarm. They were located by police Land SAR in the early hours of the morning and led to the shelter of the Hinerua Hut for the rest of the night. This should serve as a reminder to all outdoor enthusiasts to make sure that you are planning trips well within your capabilities at this time of the year. The Ruahine Ranges can be very unforgiving, particularly during the winter months.