A Papakura service station has been the target of an overnight smash-and-grab style burglary. Video / Hayden Woodward
Mike King is pleading for the thieves who targeted the I Am Hope office on Dominion Rd over the weekend to return an inexpensive item of “huge sentimental value”, which was a gift from late Kiwi comedian Ewan Gilmour.
King told the Herald he felt a mixture of anger and disappointment over the break-in.
“One of the windows was smashed in, there was glass everywhere. [I was] desperately trying to find out what was missing, and turned out the only thing they got away with was a speaker.”
While the device wasn’t expensive, King said it held great sentimental value to him.
“If you just drop it off on the front door that would be great, we’d love to have it back. This is a New Zealand comedy icon.”
Images shared by King online show a large smashed-out window boarded up with gib and one of the two alleged thieves attempting to steal an electric motorbike.
“It’s clear we are a charity - it’s clear - so I don’t know how to feel. You know, I want to feel sorry for [the thieves], in my heart. I want to feel sorry for them but, at the same time, I want to see them caught and punished. There needs to be consequences for actions.”
King said the building alarm went off at 12.30am on Monday and his chief of operations called the police, who arrived immediately.
Damage at the I Am Hope office after a break-in on Sunday night. Photo / Supplied
“It’s just a complete and utter waste of police resources, of everyone’s time. We lose our insurance no claims bonus. I’ve got to put security bars up now.
“It’s devastating and to think I have to put money that’s been donated by people into this, it’s ridiculous.”
He said although this will be $18,000 that could have been spent on funding children’s counselling, he wants the public to know the money will not be coming from the Gumboot Friday donation pool.
“Their money goes directly to the counsellors.”
One of the alleged thieves inside the I Am Hope office. Photo / Supplied
He said they did not need donations and the public should donate to food banks instead if they wanted to give.
“A lot of families out there are really struggling and I’d love for them to put the money there.”
At the time of reporting King told the Herald the pair behind the alleged break-in had not been apprehended.
A police spokesperson said police promptly took someone into custody after responding to reports of a break-in at a commercial premises on Dominion Road at 12.40am.
When asked whether this was at the location of the I Am Hope office the spokesperson said police were unable to confirm the exact address of the incident due to privacy reasons.
