"My neighbours told a friend of mine about seeing lights on my driveway," she said.
"My friend went up to check on the property and discovered the shed had been opened with bolt cutters and the quad had been taken.
"I asked him to go inside where he discovered the bolt cutters had also been used to open the padlock of my house.
"He discovered a bit of a mess inside and when I got home I saw all that had been stolen and rang the police."
While some things were stolen, the woman said her horse gear, quad bike, spray tank and farm trailer were the most important items taken.
"I have spent 26 years cutting and spraying gorse when I wasn't at work as it grows so fast!" she said.
"It feels horrible to know someone stole all my good stuff and my horse gear I have collected my whole life.
"They also stole my jewellery, which was in my drawers which has pictures of me with my grandchildren all around it.
"I find it absolutely heart-wrenching to think that while they stole my things they were looking at these whānau photos!"
The woman said it took several attempts to get through to the police, both in person and over the phone.
She said not long after hearing she had been burgled, she drove to Kaitaia police station to report the matter, but it was closed.
She then attempted to call 105 several times, but kept being referred to the police website to report the crime there.
"The problem was I had no power or computer, so I had no way of going online to upload information about what had happened."
She said in the end, she rang 111 which she said she felt guilty about but didn't know what else to do.
"I felt really awful calling the emergency line, but couldn't get a hold of anyone otherwise," the woman said.
"When I finally called 111, I was transferred back to someone on the 105 number and at last was able to report the crime."
Due to the lack of power, the woman said she had been staying with friends while she tried to build up her resources again.
The woman explained a policeman eventually came out on Wednesday afternoon, three days after the burglary took place.
She said he explained the Special Operations CO team had been snowed under and too busy to come out, so he had come out instead.
"He took a couple of items but there were no fingerprints, only glove smudges," she said.
"I found a glove on the road up to my place, however, this glove wasn't printed as the police officer said it couldn't be used as evidence because it wasn't found on my section.
"I'm the only one who comes up this road, apart from my neighbour, so I thought that would have been something to print at least."
The woman is yet to have any of her items recovered and would have to replace them with her own money because she had not taken out insurance for anything that was taken.
She said she is now once again with power, but the experience had made her feel like selling up and moving.
"I have had a lot of support from my whānau, friends, the people I work with and the local community, so I'm grateful to all of them for that," she said.
"I haven't been unhappy with any of the police I have spoken to or the chap who came out to my house, but I can see the police as a whole are not able to be 'faster'.
"Whether this is due to Covid-19 or the number of robberies, I'm not sure, but I hope by sharing my story it can show just how tough things are here."
In a report from the New Zealand Herald on April 8, an OIA obtained by the National Party revealed the increase in police wait times had increased in a number of regions around the country, with Northlanders now waiting one hour and 18 minutes for police to respond to their call - 47 minutes longer than five years ago.
National Party police spokesman Mark Mitchell said Police Minister Poto Williams' performance had been poor, but response times indicated a broader problem with Labour's approach to crime.
"You've got people committing offences where there are really no consequences. The police aren't being supported by the judiciary."
A police spokesperson confirmed police had received a report of a burglary on Monday, April 11, that had occurred some time between April 7-11.
"Police have made multiple attempts to discuss the incident and inquiries have been made with the victim and these inquiries are ongoing," they said.
"We encourage anyone who wishes to report a crime after it has happened or to provide further information to call 105. This phone line is manned 24/7.
"Kaitaia police station is open daily during the week with experienced counter staff available.
"Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
