By Emma Beer
The Nelson Mail
TAPAWERA, New Zealand — Tapawera emergency workers are gutted that their bases have been burgled.
The Tapawera Fire Brigade and St John Ambulance offices were broken into at the weekend, most likely on Saturday night, said fire chief Dean Millar.
The emergency services offices are separate, but the buildings which house them are attached.
Knives, torches, toolkits, batteries, alcohol and cash were among the things stolen from the fire house, Mr Millar said.
“They pried open the back windows of the building.
“We’re putting it out there, seeing if there might be anyone who knows something.”
Wakefield police had come and looked around, he said.
The burglars had gone through everything — “lockers, cupboards, absolutely everything”, he said.
The knives and torches,which cost at least $2500, were engraved TVFB (Tapawera Volunteer Fire Brigade) and each had a different number that corresponded with a firefighter. Money for the gear had been fundraised in the community.
However, the theft would not stop them doing their jobs.
“It won’t hurt the way we can respond, but it could limit some of the things we are capable of doing until the gear is replaced,” Mr Millar said.
St John Ambulance spokesman Jon Leach said the Tapawera base had been mainly left alone.
The team had not noticed any obvious things missing.
“They [the burglars] have taken the door off the hinges and broken into the building though.
“It’s a bit gutting that someone thinks it’s OK to break into buildings like this and take stuff that’s not theirs.
“We all work really hard to make sure we’ve got the right gear [ambulance and fire].”
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