Northland man devastated by theft of late mother's memento

All that remains of Arnold Kalnins' car, and the precious family heirloom that was in it, is a tyre mark on his property near Kaikohe. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A devastated Northland man is appealing for the return of a stolen photo that is his only memento of his late mother.

The framed photo of a Bulgarian preacher was a prized possession of Arnold Kalnins' mother, who fled Latvia during World War II.

He inherited it when she died in 1971 and had prized it since.

Kalnins had placed the photo, which was mounted in a large gold-coloured frame, in a bag along with some magazines, in his car, ready to take it to a friend's place.

However, the car was stolen from his property on Friday afternoon — along with the precious heirloom.

Kalnins said the theft of his black Toyota Vitz, was a nuisance but the loss of the picture was devastating.

"I feel like they can have the car. I just want the picture back. It's the only important thing my mother left me," he said.

The Bulgarian preacher in the photo travelled around Europe before World War II.

Kalnins said his mother was much taken by his teachings and at some point, during a visit to Latvia, he gave her the photo.

The preacher, who had distinctive long white hair and a beard, was known variously as Peter Deunov, Peter Dunoff or by his spiritual name, Beinsa Douno.

The stolen photo, in a gold-coloured frame, is similar to this portrait of the Bulgarian preacher Peter Deunov. Photo / supplied

Kalnins said he was working on his property, between Kaikohe and Ōhaeawai, when two women aged in their 20s visited on Friday afternoon.

The purpose of their visit was unclear but one asked him if he had a bicycle she could buy for her son.

He believed she had been to his home once before.

Eventually the pair got back in their car and left.

A short time later he discovered that his car, parked where he couldn't see it while he was working, had gone.

He had left the key in the ignition because he was about to visit his friend in Kaikohe.

"That was my mistake. I wouldn't leave my key in the car on the street, but it was on my property. I was aghast."

His wallet had also been taken, so he had to replace his driver's licence and bank cards.

Kalnins said the photo had great sentimental value. He was ashamed and sorry to have lost it.

"I can't replace it. It was a dear thing to my mother, so I cherished that picture."

He was barely a year old when his mother fled with him and his older sister from Riga, the capital of Latvia, in 1944.

They went to a refugee camp in Germany and eventually ended up in New Zealand.

Kalnins thought his father, who had to stay behind and ended up in a Soviet prison camp, had died.

The thawing of Soviet rule under Gorbachev meant the family could look for him. They finally tracked him down in Melbourne in 1991.

• If you have seen Arnold Kalnins' black Toyota Vitz, registration FZL932, or the missing picture, call police on 105 quoting file number 220 916 4379. The photo, of a man with long white hair and a beard, is in a gilded frame and measures about 350mm by 500mm.