Heartbreaking RSA theft

A "gutless" burglar stole $2600 from an RSA during Anzac Day commemorations yesterday.

The money, some from poppy day collections, was taken from the Waitakere RSA's safe while veterans were lining up for their parade.

President David Bell said members at one of the country's smallest RSAs were shocked and angry.

"It's heartbreaking, it really is. There's some gutless person out there who doesn't believe in what we're doing. That money was hard-earned.

"It's made a lot of people angry that somebody could do that to us."

The burglar is thought to have entered through a side door to the bar just before the 11am parade.

Bell said the cash had been put in a safe, but it was left unlocked.

"Obviously, we've got to have a look at our procedures," he said.

The money would have gone towards running costs for the club and the welfare of its 170 members.

More than $1000 had been spent upgrading the club's alarm and locks, and Bell said they would need to consider more security.

"If we'd had cameras in there we might have caught the culprit."

He had already received one phone call from someone wanting to make a donation to make up for the theft, but would like to see the offender return the cash.

"They might have a conscience and think - flip, I did that on Anzac Day, why did I do that?"

Last year thousands of fundraising poppies were stolen from the Takapuna RSA, along with official collectors' stickers and buckets.

Thirteen boxes of hand-made poppies were taken from the clubrooms by burglars, who were labelled "mongrels" by club president Mike Murphy.

Last month two TVs were stolen from the Hobsonville RSA in separate burglaries, two nights apart.