A Northland cafe owner who lost $1500 worth of wine and boutique beers in a Christmas Eve raid says thefts will end up costing jobs.
Sometime on Christmas Eve or the early hours of Christmas Day, thieves forced their way into a storage area at Zest Cafe in Kerikeri, making off with a case of medal-winning Marsden Estate Black Rocks chardonnay, 10 packs of bacon and a large quantity of boutique beer.
The beer, brewed by Harrington's in Christchurch, comes in distinctive 330ml bottles and is rarely seen in Northland.
The types taken in the raid include East Indies Lager, Wobbly Boot, Pig and Whistle, Rogue Hop and Lazy Sunday.
David Bailie, owner of Zest Cafe and the adjoining Elbow Room bar, said the break-in was a double whammy for the cafe which, like every other small Northland business, was already grappling with tough economic times.