Kerikeri police are hoping results from forensic testing will lead them to the "low-life" who broke into a historic church to steal donations.
The St James Anglican Church in Kerikeri, the second oldest church in the country, was broken into by thieves on Thursday night who stole a donation box that chairman of the church trust Richard Ward said could have had several hundred dollars in. "I am pretty disgusted by it, that there is some low-life who did this."
Mr Ward was called at 4.30am on Friday morning by a security guard who noticed the door had been forced open.
He said when he arrived at the church, police were there. He noticed some blood at the scene, which is believed to belong to the thieves.
Sergeant Phil Le Comte said the case was a work-in-progress but police are keen to find the thief or thieves.