Students reunited with stolen items

Bay of Islands College students lost bags, books, wallets and personal items when their school van was broken into at Kerikeri Basin.

Bay of Islands College students have been reunited with bags, wallets and other items stolen from a school van at Kerikeri Basin last week - just days after German backpackers whose van was raided at the same time got their property back.

Thieves smashed a window of the college van at about 9.30am last Thursday, while the Year 13 class was on a history field trip, and stole six schoolbags as well as a teacher's satchel. The bags, which were returned yesterday, contained textbooks, homework, make-up, wallets and packed lunches.

Two young German conservation volunteers, whose van was parked nearby, had their backpacks stolen. One lost almost everything but the clothes she was wearing.

The Advocate's story about the thefts was shared widely online. The Germans' packs were found dumped at Koutu Pt, in South Hokianga, on Friday. Only some clothing and some travel mementoes were missing.

That good news was followed by the discovery of most of the students' bags. A member of the public found them under trees at the entrance to Te Waimate Mission Station near Waimate North.

Sergeant Phil Le Comte, of Kerikeri police, said the wallets had been emptied of cash but all bankcards and driver's licences had been left. The only things missing were two of the trendier bags. Their contents had been stuffed into the other bags.

The bags were collected by police on Sunday and were due to be returned to the school yesterday. Mr Le Comte said that meant 95 per cent of the stolen property had been recovered.

"We'd like to say a big thank you to all the members of the public who've rung us with information and offers of help. We really appreciate it," he said.

Meanwhile, the investigation is continuing. Police still want to hear from anyone with information about a couple seen acting suspiciously at the DoC carpark at Kerikeri Basin on Thursday morning.

They are described as a male Maori, aged about 30 with unkempt hair and facial hair or stubble, wearing a sleeveless green polarfleece top with a yellow high-visibility neckline, and a female Maori aged 20-30. They were in a silver-grey car. Call Kerikeri police on (09) 407 9211.