Stolen Waipuna Hospice charity van spotted in Te Puke

Waipuna Hospice appealed on Facebook for any sightings of the white 2007 Ford Transit Van has a registration of DUY554, pictured here. Photo/Waipuna Hospice

A van stolen during a raid of the Tauranga Waipuna Hospice depot has been spotted in Te Puke.

A police spokeswoman told the Bay of Plenty Times a person alerted police after the recognised the van on Gridley Rd yesterday morning. "We need community help to assist us in returning this van to the Hospice," she said.

The Waipuna Hospice depot behind its charity shop on Fraser St, Parkvale, was ransacked after thieves took their van, a laptop, a large number of hand and power tools, petty cash and jewellery between 4pm Saturday and Monday morning.

Almost every draw had been rifled through, soft toys lay strewn across the floor, paperwork rooms were turned upside down. Even a large wooden ship model had been moved from its original position.

Waipuna Hospice chief executive Richard Thurlow said social media was helping to spread the word to find the van.

The hospice appealed on Facebook for any sightings of the white 2007 Ford Transit Van has a registration of DUY554.

"The [Waipuna Hospice] Facebook post reached about 130,000 people. Even my mother commented at one point, so it's gone all the way to the UK."

"It's been great to be able to use social media to highlight it. That is possibly where one of the leads for the police came from."

"We're just trying to find the van and get it back."

Mr Thurlow went down to the ransacked depot yesterday to assess the damage.

"It was pretty shattering when you see what they've taken and what they've done."

"It's hard to keep a place like that tidy but it's usually tidier than what it was left like. I think the sad thing was losing the computer means we've got to go through the process of buying and reinstalling, all that effort, it's just an additional cost to us by taking someone off the job."

Mr Thurlow said the workers and volunteers were supporting each other after the burglary.

"It's been a bit of whirlwind 24 hours for the guys. But they are cracking on, I think yesterday afternoon some volunteers who don't usually work in the depot volunteered to come in, which is really good to help out and get things sorted. That was really nice, the team is rallying around."

If you recognise the van or have some information which might help police track down the stolen gear, or people responsible, please contact Tauranga police on 07 577 4300 or provide information anonymously on 0800 CRIME STOPPERS.

The Waipuna Hospice provide symptom control and pain management for people needing palliative care.

How you can help

http://waipuna-hospice.co.nz/paymentextra/donate

Police attend the Waipuna Hospice warehouse which was targeted by thieves. Photo/file