Thieves lift big-ticket hire goods in two-month spree

The list of stolen goods include various sizes of trucks, trailers and equipment such as chainsaws, compactors, weed eaters, leaf blowers and waterblasters. Photo / File

Thieves have targeted Hirepool in Auckland and Wellington, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hire trucks, trailers and outdoor equipment in two months.

In a memo to all Hirepool staff the firm's chief operating officer, Colin Sinton, listed 54 items as stolen in December and January, but said 13 had been recovered recently.

The list includes various sizes of trucks, trailers and equipment such as chainsaws, compactors, weed eaters, leaf blowers and waterblasters.

Mr Sinton said the gear was likely to have had its Hirepool branding removed. "All of these items have been reported to the police as stolen."

He urged staff not to approach anyone or to try to retrieve the property themselves, but to report it to police or consulting company Resolvit, which was helping with the inquiry and asset recovery.

When contacted for comment yesterday, Mr Sinton said the stolen property list was only a North Island issue, and there was not a similar South Island list in circulation.

He described the list as being a "one off" issue but declined to give more details, citing the police inquiry.

There have been recent reports of widespread theft of tradesmen's tools, building equipment and material in Christchurch, with the stolen gear then being resold back into the construction sector.

But Mr Sinton said the thefts were not related to the Auckland boom in housing and infrastructure or the Christchurch post-quake rebuild.

Resolvit did not return calls.

Hirepool, which has 58 NZ outlets, was bought for $172 million in 2006 and is majority-owned by Sydney-based private equity firm Next Capital and Macquarie Group.

Missing

• Toyota Hilux 4WD double cab, executive

• Toyota Hilux 4WD double cab, flatdeck

• Toyota Hilux 4WD single cab, flatdeck

• Four Toyota Hiluxs 4WD double cab, canopy

• Two Ford Rangers 4WD double cab, flatdeck

• Two Toyota Corollas, hatchback

• Ford Focus, hatchback

• Isuzu 2.5 tonne tipper truck

• Hino 2.5 tonne tipper truck

• Two rubbertrack excavators, 1.5 tonne.

• Other: Compressors, five trailers, chainsaws, compactors, weed eaters, leaf blower, waterblasters, chippers, heaters, grinders/cutters, mower, scrub cutter, concrete saw, excavators, buckets.

• Excavator 1.9 tonne

- Source: Hirepool memo