Callous Northland thieves strike twice

Jill Kohlis, here with her dog Buster, has had two cars stolen and trashed within two weeks. Photo / Hannah Norton

When Jill Kohlis got a job as a home support worker she was ecstatic - it was her first full time role after taking several years off work to battle breast cancer.

But two months into her new job, she got dealt a double blow when two of her cars were stolen, taken for joy rides and trashed in the space of 12 days.

"I'm just gutted," Ms Kohlis, from Hikurangi said.

The first car - a gun-metal grey 1996 Nissan Pulsar - was stolen from the road outside her house on December 19, and found trashed in Paihia three days later.

On the same day, Ms Kohlis' other car - a grey 1996 Nissan Primera which had been parked next to the Pulsar - had the back quarter windows smashed and the wiring damaged. "We thought, we can't move it [the Primera], so no-one else will - famous last words."

But on January 3 the Primera was stolen. It was found several days later on a rural road in Kawakawa badly damaged.

"I thought we lived in a safe community here in Hikurangi. It is just really disappointing," Ms Kohlis said.

She valued the Primera - which was not insured - at $3000, and the Pulsar - which was insured with third party fire and theft cover - at $2500.

The Pulsar was deemed written off, but Ms Kohlis was not sure how she would pay the $300 excess in order to get the insurance pay-out.

Without a car, she was forced to take leave from her job at Home Support Northland Charitable Trust, which involved visiting the elderly and disabled in their homes and helping them with tasks such as cleaning and washing. Thankfully, the trust has kept her position open by reshuffling the roster. Ms Kohlis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, and after radiation therapy went into remission late last year. Soon after that, she got her job with the trust. She cannot work without a vehicle, and she said life in general without a car has been "extremely difficult".

"Impossible really. You can't leave Hikurangi without a car. There's no bus service. I've had to rely on other people to pick me up. It hasn't been a good start to the year."

This week friends have loaned her a vehicle while they are overseas, but Ms Kohlis is not sure what she will do when they get back, even for basic tasks such as getting groceries. "I will have to polish up my thumb to hitchhike."

-Can you help Jill Kohlis? Contact us at the Northern Advocate on 09 470 2875 or email reporters@northernadvocate.co.nz