Whangārei construction company’s warning after asbestos vacuum cleaners stolen

A Whangārei construction company is appealing to thieves to return the tools they stole from an asbestos-ridden demolition site to help keep the community safe. Photo / RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

A Whangārei construction company is warning people’s lives are potentially at risk after thieves stole tools from an asbestos-ridden demolition site recently.

Trevor Barfoote of Barfoote Construction is appealing to those who broke into the Maunu Health Camp demolition site two weeks ago to return the gear due to concerns around public health and safety.

Around 2-3 specialised asbestos vacuum cleaners (priced around $2500 each), plus a range of asbestos-specific hand tools were stolen.

Barfoote said the site contained class A and B asbestos, with the former being the most deadly form of asbestos which could have deadly consequences if inhaled or when coming into contact with skin.

“I just want these people to give the stuff back, just put it back over the fence, no questions asked, because it’s dangerous,” Barfoote said.

“They may not have known what the purpose was of the gear but to be fair the whole site has signage about the asbestos and to keep out, so there is adequate warning about what is happening on site.

“To put things in context, when we leave the site the vacuum cleaners are wrapped in plastic and sent to Auckland to be cleaned.

“If someone was to open the vacuum cleaner and dump the contents, they’d be covered in asbestos or worse still, may sell or give it to some unsuspecting person and put them at risk.”

According to Barfoote, this was not the first time his crew had been hit by thieves on an asbestos site.

In an earlier incident at a site on Rewarewa Rd, thieves had broken into their decontamination unit, smashing up doors and destroying their showers.

Barfoote said this most recent theft had put his business out thousands of dollars right before Christmas and had left one of his workers without any tools.

It also meant they were unsure if the thieves had spread more asbestos around the site as a result of removing their gear.

“It’s potentially made the site more dangerous because we don’t know what they’ve done while they were there,” Barfoote said.

“We also don’t know if or when we’ll get this covered by insurance, so we just have to wait and see.

“It’s really not just the value of the stolen equipment I’m worried about though, it’s the fact that people might have asbestos through their house.

“So the point I’m trying to make is, don’t muck around with this asbestos stuff, you’re putting your health at risk and risking the health of others.”

Barfoote confirmed a police report had been filed.