Cafe's giant sammies fundraiser for Waipuna Hospice

Learning about last week's burglary at Waipuna Hospice's depot sparked one local cafe to launch a community fundraiser to help raise funds for a replacement van.

Between 4pm on January 14 and the early hours of January 16 thieves stole a van and ransacked the charity's depot in Parkvale.

Falls Cafe manager Alice Campbell said she was appalled when she learned of the break-in.

"It's absolutely horrendous that someone would steal from this charity which does such amazingly work in our community, and we decided we wanted to help," she said.

Miss Campbell said to fundraise they had come up with the Loaded Toasted Sandwich.

For $14 customers of the McLaren Falls-based cafe could buy a tasty sandwich loaded with bacon, egg, mushroom, a hash brown, spinach and cheese, plus a serving of fries, with all proceeds going to the hospice.

Miss Campbell said, like many other people, she had close friends who used Waipuna Hospice's services, and her late uncle, who died in October, spent a few days there.

"Without the Waipuna Hospice our community would be very different place," she said.

"Our goal is raise $500 and we intend matching that. A thousand dollars isn't a lot of money but we're hoping other businesses will also contribute to this cause," she said.

Waipuna Hospice's Trish Rae said the theft of the van had hit the charity hard, and the outpouring of generosity and offers of support from the community had been "amazing".

"This van is absolutely crucial to the success of Hospice charity shop and other services. We can't thank the Falls Cafe and all the other people who offered support, enough."

The fundraiser started on Saturday and runs until end of the month.

Several sightings of the stolen Waipuna Hospice van have been reported to police who believe it may have been fitted with stolen number plates.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said there had been several sightings of the white 2007 Ford Transit van, registration DUY554, in the past week, including on the corner of Mountain Rd and No 2 Rd, Oropi.

He said the van was reportedly being driven by a European man in his 30s.

Mr Turner said the van was still believed to be in the Te Matai Rd/Tauranga Direct Rd area and concealed from sight.

"We're also investigating the theft of number plates EUC615 and CPN61 from Ford transit vans at Tauranga Hospital overnight on January 17. It is possible these plates are now fitted to the stolen Hospice van," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Tauranga police on 07 577 4300 or provide the information anonymously on 0800 CRIME STOPPERS.