Theft ruins holiday

Two American tourists have had their holiday ruined after a backpack was stolen while they were sand boarding in the Far North.

Senior Sergeant Geoff Ryan, of Kaitaia police, said the tourists, aged 25 and 23, went sand boarding on dunes near the southern end of Shipwreck Bay, near Ahipara, about 2pm on Saturday.

Mr Ryan said there were a number of people on motorbikes near the dunes at the time and he appealed for anybody who may have been in the area to contact Kaitaia police on 09 408 6500.

The theft comes just a month after two men with a large fishing knife stopped a vehicle and robbed three Chinese tourists of cash and a camera at Te Paki, near Cape Reinga.