Window bullet holes a mystery

Gunshots have damaged the front window of a Wanganui cake decorating business, leaving the owner puzzled and worried.

Lois Ross, who operates the Cake Connection in suburban Putiki, discovered the three bullet holes only on Thursday.

Wanganui police have carried out a scene investigation, but Mrs Ross said they could not say what calibre of bullet caused the damage.

And she said she had no idea when the shots were fired. "I was away last weekend, and it was only when a friend came into the shop [on Thursday] and asked me about the bullet holes in the window that I was aware of the damage," she said.

A gauze curtain on the inside of the window covered the area the bullets damaged.

Mrs Ross said a search of the premises found no bullets or pellets inside the building.

"It's going to cost us $1000 to replace that window, because it's deemed to be wilful damage and insurance doesn't cover it," she said. "It looks like someone has just fired the shots going past in a car. Police said they reckoned the weapon used was probably a pistol, because they couldn't find any trace of the spent bullets or slugs in the shop."

Mrs Ross has operated her cake decorating business in Putiki for 11 years, and she's at a loss to explain the damage.

She had no idea why anyone would target her shop.

"But it's worrying to think that it could have happened when someone was standing close to the window," Mrs Ross said.