Travellers' vehicle stolen

A Swiss family have had their van, full of their belongings, stolen from the Town Basin, the latest in a spate of Whangarei tourist thefts.
Lausanne couple Michel and Marianne Buttet and their grandson Jules woke on up on their boat, Sostene, on February 15  to find their Mitsubishi van gone from a carpark near Reyburn House.
The theft comes two months after a pair of German tourists had their van and belonging stolen from Whangarei's Clyde Street.
And to make matters worse, while Mr and Mrs Buttet were reporting the incident at Whangarei Police Station, another group of tourists came in to report their van stolen from the Pak N' Save carpark.
Mrs Buttet, 64, said she and her husband first arrived in Northland three years ago and last year purchased the white 1990 L300 van (registration number TG2997) which they saw advertised on Port Road.
"We liked the van - it was going well. We turned it into a campervan and travelled all around North Island in it."
But the couple had to travel back to Switzerland last year after Mr Buttet's father became ill.
They returned in December with their grandson Jules, 17, who is spending a term at Whangarei Boys' High School. Because the boat was small, the family used the van to store clothes, presents and camping gear, Ms Buttet said.
"We asked the managers of the Town Basin where we could put our van safely and they suggested the carpark would be no problem as campers often slept there."
The night before, Mr Buttet closed the van's curtains and locked the doors.
Nearby campers who spent the night in the carpark said they hadn't heard a thing - and no broken glass was visible, Mrs Buttet said.
The cost of the van and its belongings came to  about $4000, she said.
"When I realised it was gone I felt very sad and shocked for two days."
The van wasn't insured as it was "too expensive - we thought we'd be safe", Mrs Buttet said.
She admitted idolising New Zealand in the past, but said the theft had made her see things differently.
"New Zealand is a wonderful country, but be careful as it's not so safe. I suggest taking the battery out of the car or putting a steering wheel lock on."

She sympathised with the group of French tourists whose van was stolen from the Pak N' Save carpark.
 "One student lost a year's worth of work," she said.
 
"Next year we want to go to the South Island with Jules and we expect to go in our van."
The Buttets say they would be prepared to consider offering a reward if their van is returned in good condition.
If you have any information about the vehicle, please contact Whangarei Police.