Man charged with stealing wallet from dying man goes AWOL

Donald Bridge. Photo/Supplied

A man charged with taking a wallet from a man dying on a Waihi street has failed to turn up for court.

Awarrant for the man's arrest was promptly issued in the Waihi District Court this morning.

Donald Bridge, 26, a farmer from Marewa in Hawke's Bay was charged with stealing "a wallet with several cards, $80 cash and a Samsung cell phone valued at $480 of Henry Wayne Pere on October 18".

Pere suffered an aneurysm in his car on a central street in Waihi last week and a group of locals tried to help him.

Wayne Pere, left, died in the street of Waihi. Photo / Supplied

However, Pere's wallet and phone were handed to several people during the unsuccessful attempts to revive him and was allegedly stolen.

If convicted, Bridge could be jailed for up to three months.

Police released a photo of Bridge and confirmed a warrant had been issued for his arrest.

A police spokeswoman asked that anyone with information on Bridge's location inform police.