"Of all the places to steal from."
The room was generally locked while it was unoccupied, although it was opened over the weekends to freshen it, and it was difficult to say exactly when it had been taken.
The TV had been there when the room was last used in mid-June (and she emphasised that there was no suggestion that someone connected with or any earlier patient was responsible).
"It was probably just an opportunity that someone couldn't resist.
"I don't know. Someone obviously knew it was there, and now it's gone," she added.
She was also concerned that Far North Hospice, which operates the Haven, might come to the conclusion that the hospital wasn't looking after its property.
The thief had gone to some trouble to prise the set off the wall and smuggle it out of the hospital. The police had been asked to review CCTV footage in the hope of identifying the thief, but Mrs Thompson was resigned to the possibility that she would never know who had taken it.
"I'm just gutted. Whoever did this is an absolute mongrel," she said.
The Mangonui Kaitaia Lodge donated the television set to Far North Hospice, with major assistance from the Freemasons, Lodge spokesman Bob Vartan saying news of its theft was extremely annoying.
"You're joking," was his immediate response.
"This was one of the small things we can do for our community, things that are not always appreciated. It's not a good look," he added."
