Whangārei cleaners’ van stolen during work in central city

Sonia Ellison and Graeme Watson were trying to build up their cleaning business when their van was stolen from central Whangārei while they were at work. Photo / Tania Whyte

Graeme Watson and Sonia Allison have been hit with a triple whammy and it seems the harder they try to get by in life, the more they lose.

After starting a commercial cleaning business just before Covid hit in early 2020, they were almost brought to bankruptcy by the pandemic. A new sub-contract two weeks ago offered them an opportunity to rebuild their business.

It was around the same time the pair and their dog moved into a rental property in Kamo after sleeping in their distinctive 1998 Toyota Hiace van at Whangārei Falls and various other sites around the district while managing their business.

While cleaning a building on Rathbone St on Thursday evening, their van was stolen from outside the business premises. Now it’s back to square one for the struggling couple.

The van is well-marked with Sooty & Sweep Cleaning Solutions signs on each door.

“We were just trying to build our business back up, now there’s nothing to build. This is our livelihood and we are a couple in our 50s trying to earn a keep by commercial cleaning,” Watson lamented.

Allison’s cellphone, chemicals, vacuum cleaners, security codes, keys to the cleaning sites and their rental property, a wallet containing eftpos card and other important documents, were all in the van.

Watson said they had finished cleaning two sites on Quality St and were in the Rathbone St building between 5pm and 5.30pm on Thursday when their van was stolen.

“We were in there for about 20 minutes, came out and the van was gone. I saw on Facebook someone said they saw the van being driven on the wrong side of the road on John St a short time later.

“We rang the police, and waited for about 45 minutes but no one turned up. We then walked to the police station and found out it was closed. I pressed a buzzer and was told to come back the next morning and fill out a form.

“On the way to the police station, we saw a police car with lights flashing in the middle of the road and we thought ‘Let’s go and tell the officers’ but there was no one inside the car. Someone could have driven it away,” Watson said.

He managed to file a formal complaint on the police 105 non-emergency line the same evening. The hassle of changing locks and applying for replacement bank cards and driver’s licence took its toll on the couple. To make matters worse, the van wasn’t insured because they couldn’t afford to.

A police spokesperson said no arrests had been made and that available CCTV footage would be reviewed.

Anyone with information can contact police on 105 or www.police.govt.nz/use-105, using Update My Report, referencing the file number 230512/0455.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Whangārei police station’s front counter is open to the public between 8am and 4pm on weekdays.

There is also a phone outside that people can use at any time, which will connect them directly to police.

If the event is an emergency and happening now, call 111.

To report things that have already happened and don’t need urgent police assistance, call 105 or report online.