KEY POINTS:
Export meat stolen from a Hastings cool-store and recovered from a Napier marae was kept there without the marae's knowledge, police believe.
Officers found 52 boxes at the marae, but hold out little hope of finding therest.
Detective Sergeant Mark Moorhouse said the meat came from a haul of 100 boxes, valued at $45,000, taken from Aotearoa Coolstores.
"There had been access gained through a key, which makes us think they had inside help," Mr Moorhouse said. Aotearoa Coolstores was now increasing its security.
A search warrant executed at the Tangoio Marae recovered boxes in a padlocked chiller but police believed the meat had been stored there without the marae's knowledge.
"We are almost positive that the people running the marae had no knowledge of it and nothing to do with it," said Mr Moorhouse, "and it puts them in a very awkward position."
- NZPA
