Missing West Coast bus shelter 'never stolen'

The bus shelter originally located at Torea Street, Granity has now been located.

The Granity bus shelter reported missing last week was never stolen.

The shelter gained national fame last Thursday, when police issued a press release saying it had been stolen sometime between June and August.

Westport police sergeant Malcolm Lamont told The Westport News today Solid Energy had built the shelter for its workers on leased land.

Lamont said the shelter stayed put after Solid Energy terminated its lease over a year ago, so the landowner took possession of the shelter and sold it.

The landowner had been more than forthcoming, and gave police a full run down of what had happened and who the new owners of the shelter were, he said.

"We know where the bus shelter is, we've spoken to the people who have now got the shelter."

It was now a civil matter, he said.

"At this stage we don't believe it requires any further police investigation."

Stockton Mine manager Michael Harrison told The Westport News last week that Solid Energy had noticed the shelter was missing when it handed an adjacent carpark on Torea Street back to its owner.

- Westport News