A bag containing Slade’s medication was also stolen.
The list continued ... a new Chromecast, tools, camping chairs, alcohol, cordial, meat and a dish rack.
“Four carloads of stuff. They even took spare curtains,” she said.
However, after posting about the incident on Facebook, Slade received an uplifting community response - donations of clothes and an “amazing koha” - and she was immensely thankful for the generosity.
A former NZ Post courier, many in Gisborne would know her, she said.
“I had a massive customer rapport,” she said. “Me and my family would love to thank everybody that helped us.”
Slade had a strong message for the burglars.
“It was New Year’s Day. Why would you break a family’s wairua?
“This is my home. It took me 38 years to move home, and you do this, what ... just to feed your habit.
“You are just feral scum that are jealous because I bettered my life. I’m living my life, not just existing like you. What you did doesn’t affect just me and my family - it affects your family and the embarrassment and shame they have to wear.”
Slade had taken her new partner to see her “beautiful” hometown of Waima (on the East Coast near Te Puia Hot Springs) “and then the bad seeds of Gisborne did that”.
She said she could not understand how anyone didn’t hear the offenders booting in her shed door.
“It would have taken over 10 big kicks, plus the iron sheets that were drilled in.”
Slade, who is staying with family in the Waikato at the moment, said she had not heard much from the police since contacting them.
The Gisborne Herald emailed the police media team on Monday.
“Police were called around 6.50pm on Thursday, January 1, with a report of a burglary, after the fact, at an address on Taruheru Crescent. Inquiries into the incident remain ongoing,” the police said in a response.
Slade said a vacuum cleaner taken in the burglary had been seen for sale on Facebook Marketplace, but had not been recovered.
