Burglars net $20k Wairarapa haul

GUTTED: Golf professional Shaun Hewitt reflects on the loss of sports equipment worth $20,000 from the Masterton Golf Club shop. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

Raiders targeted the golf shop at Masterton Golf Course early yesterday for the second time in just over three weeks - stealing gear worth about $20,000.

They smashed their way through a glass pane in the back door - exactly the same method as weeks earlier - setting off a burglar alarm at about 6am.

The raid was over within 10 minutes when club golf professional Shaun Hewitt arrived.

The burglary was one of two in Masterton in the early morning, the other being at Goldpine, Ngaumutawa Rd.

Mr Hewitt's embroidered golf bag emblazoned with his name and his clubs were stolen, a loss to him of $4000. Trainee professional Joel Macklin had a driver and hybrid club stolen.

"They then went crazy taking a whole heap of others things including 10 putters, seven drivers and two club fitting bags.

"All the expensive stuff," said Mr Hewitt.

Police were at the golf shop within 20 minutes of the alarm activation, dusting down the premises for fingerprints and photographing the scene.

The burglars had also ripped up the safe which had been bolted to the floor and contained some cash.

During the earlier burglary the thieves had stolen another named golf bag belonging to Mr Hewitt along with a set of irons and wedges.

An attempt had been made on that occasion to jemmy the safe open. Mr Hewitt said the golf shop is the only one in Wairarapa and the burglaries were unnerving and upsetting for all club members. It is suspected the thieves staked out the premises prior to both burglaries as the caretaker living on the premises was taking a shower both times which, for him, muffled the sound of the burglar alarm.

At Goldpine thieves cut a hole in the southern boundary fence at about 4am making off with the safe and its cash contents, three industrial staplers and a nail gun.

The safe was later found, broken open behind the nearby premises of Sliderite Manufacturing.

Yesterday's two burglaries followed on from a break-in at The Homestead Bar last weekend.

A safe with money was taken from the premises.

Police have viewed CCTV footage of the burglary with a person seen making his way around the office.