Salvation Army van used in theft of watches from Paihia

Police were able to track the van to a Kaikohe house where a man and a woman, both aged 25, were arrested and charged with theft. Photo/File

A van used by the Salvation Army to help get people back into work was used in the theft of about 100 watches from a Bay of Islands business.

Sergeant Kevin Milne said staff in a jewellers in Paihia were doing a stock take when a stand with about 100 watches was stolen and thrown into a van.

The watches were estimated to have a value of between $15,000 and $20,000.

Police were able to track the van to a Kaikohe house where a man and a woman, both aged 25, were arrested and charged with theft. Only six of the watches had been recovered.

Milne said the Salvation Army was a voluntary organisation trying to help people and they were also victims in the incident.

Salvation Army education and employment national director Gregory Fortuin said the van was being used as part of a programme helping people to get back into employment.

The programme has been running since 2014 in Northland and had been very successful, helping people who have worked extremely hard with Salvation Army support to change their lives.

"The van is used to help groups of eight to 12 people at a time travel to work in various places around Northland, which can require them driving long distances," Fortuin said.

"A member of the group who has been through a thorough screening process can be agreed to drive the van and transport other members to and from their work. This is something that we've done without a problem since the programme started."

It was unclear who had been driving when the incident happened.

Fortuin said he was unable to comment further until police had completed their investigation and any court case that might happen. The van was returned to the Salvation Army yesterday.He said the group currently on the programme are waiting to start a fruit picking job that is expected to begin in the next few days.

The arrested duo, charged with theft, will appear in Kaikohe District Court on Friday.