Surf club burglary threatens start of Napier surf patrols

Pacific Surf Life Saving Club chairman Harry Machiela with two "dead" radios similar to those stolen from the Marine Parade beachfront clubhouse. Photo / Warren Buckland

Napier's Pacific Surf Life Saving Club has lost thousands of dollars of lifesaving gear and radios to thieves just days before the start of the Marine Parade club's seven-day-a-week summer patrols.

Among items stolen in a burglary discovered by bike shop proprietor Eddie Kattenberg as he arrived for work this on Thursday morning were two fast-response life packs and an oxygen bottle – vital equipment for use at the water's edge in the most serious of rescues.

Also taken were five radios, and a new e-bike used for occasional patrolling the length of the city beachfront from Ahuriri to Te Awa.

The bike would have also been used this summer to help in counts of numbers of people swimming at the beach to inform the coastal safety strategy being implemented not only in the area but throughout New Zealand.

But club chairman Harry Machiela said later in the day a stocktake was still to be done and it was possible other items had been taken, but he wants the thieves to think quickly about what they've done and return the essential goods.

Police are also seeking any information which may be related to the burglary.

He estimated the property known to have been taken would cost $4000 to $6000 to replace, and it can't all be replaced in a hurry, and it could impact the weekend patrols the club started a fortnight ago and the summer weekday lifeguard patrol running from next Monday to the end of January.

"It's all very depressing," he said, although there was an immediate uplift with the donation of two radios and indications of other help. "But we will still have to beg and borrow before we go on patrol at the weekend."

There had been little to no problems of a burglary or vandalism nature around the clubhouse for years, which he said highlighted the public respect for the service it provides.

But the burglars appeared to have come prepared with the tools needed to break in to the building, which is on the beachfront near the port end of the parade.

He was speaking with Hawke's Bay Today at the clubhouse immediately after a meeting with city council, police and other personnel following the death of a 5-year-old in the surf last Friday, more than 2km away off the southern end of Marine Parade and near the National Aquarium of New Zealand.

It was the latest of at least seven drownings that have happened on the city beachfront in the last 25 years, along with numerous near misses.

He said that while the meeting was held as a response to the tragedy it was also part of the processes towards making the beaches safer, particularly those off the parade where several tragedies have happened while people were paddling or strolling at the water's edge – caught by sudden waves, an undertow and the loose footing in the sand and shingle.

An outcry since Friday's tragedy has included calls for better signs warning of the dangers.

Council said it had 23 signs in place but was working on improving awareness and other safety issues, while Machiela said that some good suggestions had come up in coastal safety plan discussions and the Thursday meeting.