Brazen theft of passport and wallet

A teenager stole a passport and $1400 cash from Bliss Nails and Spa in Napier. PHOTO/Supplied

By Astrid Austin

A Napier woman is seeking help to locate her passport and $1400 cash after a teenager allegedly brazenly stole it from the nail salon she works at.

Bliss Nails and Spa manager Anna Tran said her bank cards and driver's licence, along with the large sum of money, were in her wallet at the time, as well as her passport — which she desperately needed.

The incident happened between 3pm and 3.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, just after Ms Tran and another staff member had done the nails of two girls who were with the alleged thief.

Ms Tran said the girls paid $100 altogether for their nails on Boxing Day and then their friend took off with the wallet and passport, which was inside the front counter.

"I turned my back for one minute and when I looked at the counter they were gone and my wallet was gone, too, so it happened in a matter of minutes.

"I straight away ran out and chased them but it was so busy in town yesterday and I couldn't find them — I went to Glassons, Cotton On and Dotti but I couldn't find them."

The young women are believed to be between the ages of 15 and 19, with the girl who allegedly stole the wallet believed to be 16. They had all been acting "very rude", Ms Tran said.

She had messaged the friend of the girl believed to have taken it but had received no response.

Although her family had contacted the manager and said the woman had thrown the wallet into the rubbish bin at the Napier Bus Station, Ms Tran said she had looked but the bin had been emptied.

She said she was more concerned about finding her passport. She was due to head to Wellington on January 5 to apply for a Japanese visa before flying out to visit her family on February 1 - although she is worried her plans would have to be cancelled.

"The most important thing is my passport. I begged her to bring my passport back."
If she applies for a new passport, it would take two months.

A police spokesperson said police received a report on Tuesday evening that a wallet was stolen from Bliss Nail and Spa.

"Police are following lines of inquiry to determine who may have been responsible,'' the spokesperson said.

''The wallet has not yet been recovered."