Mean thieves steal boy's school uniform off washing line

GONE: Racheal Kavanagh, from Hastings, had her sons brand new HBHS uniform stolen off their washing line after only living in the area for two months. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR.

Racheal Kavanagh hasn't had the Hawke's Bay welcome she hoped for after her son's new uniform was stolen from her washing line.

After weeks of saving and recently moving to Hastings from Auckland Ms Kavanagh began to prepare for the children's first week of school.

"We enrolled my son to Hastings Boys' High School so last week in our excitement went down to the uniform shop to get him all ready."

She bought him socks, shirts, shorts and rugby shorts, which totalled $138.

On Friday night Ms Kavanagh hung his uniform on the line along with her daughter's so they were clean for the following week.

When she woke up in the morning her son's uniform was gone.

"I went out to get everything and looked up and it had vanished. I was confused as I put it out when it was dark so someone must have seen me do it."

"I didn't think you would have to start thinking and worrying about a day to day chore. It's pretty sad really and not the welcome we were after."

She reported the theft to the police who asked her if she heard anything that night.

After "racking her brains" Ms Kavanagh can remember vaguely hearing something about an hour after going to sleep.

"I am just assuming that the sound I heard must have been when it was stolen but at the time it didn't sound like much."

The sound didn't even wake their alsatian Cocoa who she said didn't prove to be much of a guard dog.

"I think she's too placid for that but it would have been good if she gave us a wee bark or growl."

Her son now only has a pair of rugby shorts.

"I can't afford to pay for it all again so hopefully they let me now do it in drip payments. It's a bit sucky really," she said.

Ms Kavanagh doesn't want her son turning up on his first day with nothing especially when he is new to the school.

"He looked really good in his uniform the poor guy, so back to the shop we go."

What she found interesting was that her daughter's Hastings Girls' High School uniform was left on the line but her New Balance shirt was also missing.

"It must have been opportunist theft as they knew what they wanted. We won't be able to identify the uniform but I am hoping we can get the New Balance shirt."

One thing Ms Kavanagh has taken away from this is that her faith in humanity has been restored.

"The support has been amazing so I guess this is the nice side of it. People we don't know from a bar of soap are putting their hands up to help us, it is incredible."