ATM stolen in hotel ram raid found empty near Napier

Police at Richmond Reserve, East Clive, where an ATM has been dumped. Photo / Paul Taylor

The ATM stolen in a Meeanee ram raid earlier this week has been found empty and battered at Richmond Rd Reserve near Napier.

Hawke's Bay CIB officer in charge of investigations Detective Senior Sergeant James Keene confirmed it was the same ATM stolen in a ram raid with a stolen vehicle at Meeanee Hotel at 5.30am on Tuesday.

The empty machine was found near rocks on the foreshore, and appears to have been roughly prised open, exposing the dispensing trays that money is placed in.

Drag marks were visible on the ground, near the machine.

Police and Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) were at the reserve this morning, which is about 10km from the Meeanee Hotel.

Police confirmed the ATM machine had been reported found about 7.25am.

A green 2003 Ford Courier (registration number BJT604) was stolen from Taradale overnight on Monday and used in the Meeanee Hotel ram raid just before 5.30am.

The hotel is more than 120 years old and is at the junction of Meeanee Rd and Willowbank Ave, Meeanee, about 4km from Napier's southern urban-rural boundary.

Police are seeking any information on the movements or whereabouts of this stolen green 2003 Ford Courier which was used in the Meeanee Hotel raid on Tuesday morning. Photo / Supplied

The stolen vehicle left the scene and headed towards Napier on Willowbank Ave.

The owner of Meeanee Hotel confirmed they were still open and declined to comment further on the incident.

Keene said there were no further public updates on the investigation at this stage.

Police are seeking any information about the movement of the vehicle before, during and after the raid.

An ATM has been found at Richmond Rd Reserve near Clive. Photo / Paul Taylor

It was the sixth time a stolen vehicle had been used in ram-raid style crimes in Napier in the seven months since thieves crashed through the entrance of the Pettigrew Green Arena in Gloucester St, Taradale, and took another ATM about 2am on November 8 last year.

Police can be contacted via 105, quoting the file number 220531/0490, and also via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.