Burglary setback for High St gallery

Toi Wairarapa co-ordinator Corrinne Oliver with baking from Givealittle Kindness for Carterton organiser Karyn Parker after Toi's High St gallery was broken into. PHOTO/FACEBOOK

Organisers behind a community arts space have been left frustrated after burglars broke into their fledgling gallery in Carterton.

The burglars broke in to Toi Wairarapa's "Heart of Arts" space on High St on Wednesday night, jemmying open a window, smashing two doors and punching a hole in the wall before fleeing empty-handed.

Toi Wairarapa chairman Greg Lang said the break-in came at a time when the organisation could ill-afford extra expenses, with the official opening of the new arts hub scheduled for next month.

"It's just frustrating because we are trying to do it on the smell of an oily rag and it's created more damage that needs to be repaired."

Although nothing had been taken, whoever had broken in had known what they were doing, as a back window had been forced open using a crowbar or similar tool, Mr Lang said.

After kicking their way through two doors, the raiders had tried to gain entry to a neighbouring store by punching a hole through a pre-existing cavity in the wall, he said.

They had also tried to break into the jewellery store next door via a back window.

As the organisation was not in a position to pay for repairs, Mr Lang had repaired the doors himself last week.

While the break-in was a set back, Mr Lang said he was not letting it get him down.

"I'm extremely busy -- we all were -- we just don't need that kind of thing."

"It's just energy going into things we don't need energy going into -- but in the scheme of things there is so much energy going into what we are trying to do that it won't be overshadowed... the more you put in, the more you get out, and there's certainly a huge amount of support."

The official opening of "Heart of Arts" is scheduled for March 11.