'Planned' heist: Truck carrying five jet skis stolen from freight company

Combined Logistics' Sam Daffron works to help clean up after thieves raided the warehouse of a truck carrying jet skis. Photo / Paul Taylor.

A "planned" heist of five brand new jet skis sitting on a Hawke's Bay freight company's truck has left the owner fearing for her business's reputation.

Combined Logistics manager Audrey Young says she can't understand how the thieves can sleep easy after the break in at the company warehouse in Ahuriri on Tuesday evening.

Senior Constable Pehi Potaka said the burglary appeared to have been "well-thought-out" beforehand.

The thieves gained entry to the Riddell St building by jamming a door open and then unlocking one of the roller doors.

They then drove a company truck, which was carrying five jet skis, off the property.

The stolen vehicle was a white six wheeler Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter (reg ZQ7099) loaded with two 2019 FX-HO jet skis and one 2019 VXR, VX Deluxe and an EX.

Police inquiries were continuing, while Young is now left to clean up the mess left by the burglars.

The logistics company receives freight from several companies from across the country and then delivers the goods locally, the jet skis being a prime example.

"We've had to inform the recipients' that they won't be getting their deliveries, but they've all been wonderful about it. Now we're in the process of going through insurance."

Young said the loss is devastating for the business, as they're not only one truck down but the thieves left their once pristine warehouse in a complete shambles.

"This wasn't a small truck, it's a class four truck, one of seven that we use for our business and the loss has really put us behind.

"We're missing solar panels, I don't understand what anyone would want those for.

"We have assigned space for which area items will be delivered to, so one side is Hastings the other is Napier, but they've just mixed everything up. I spent all of Wednesday going through everything trying to figure out if they had taken anything else."

Young had one message for those that had turned her business upside down in just one night.

"Go out and get yourselves a job rather than steal because this is just ridiculous.

"If they did this to someone else they really could put someone out of a job. We've had to hire a truck in to keep up with the work. It's not a five minute fix to get another truck."

Young said the burglary was costing time, money and there was even a possibility than contracts with other freight companies could be lost due to being unable to make deliveries on time.

"It has a big knock-on effect. A lot of companies have been closed over Christmas so we've had their freight sitting here and we've had to inform them that some of their freight has been stolen." Security is now paramount for the company. It is in the process of installing CCTV cameras around the warehouse to prevent further burglar activity.

"How do they sleep at night knowing that they've stolen thousands of dollars worth of stuff, because I couldn't."

Potaka said if anyone had any information regarding the incident to contact the Crimstoppers anonymous line 0800 555 111 or the Hastings Police Station 06-873 0500 .