A 50cm pounamu sculpture made from one of the largest greenstone boulders ever found in the South Island has been stolen from Hanmer Springs.
Staff at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa in Canterbury called for help finding the treasured pounamu sculpture stolen yesterday morning, RNZ reports.
The sculpture in the shape of a water droplet was taken some time before 6am by a person in a black hoodie and black pants.
It was carved from one of the largest greenstone boulders ever found in the South Island and took hundreds of hours to carve before it was blessed and unveiled at the pools in 2017.
The pools' general manager Graeme Abbot said staff were devastated by the theft, which would bring bad luck to the person responsible.
