Bruce MacConnell, 90, from Napier, had his car stolen outside his home. Photo / Paul Taylor
Bruce MacConnell, 90, from Napier, had his car stolen outside his home. Photo / Paul Taylor
Ninety-year-old Bruce MacConnell’s had two strange knocks on the door of his pensioner flat in Napier.
The first was a member of the police returning his stolen Nissan Bluebird to him at 8am last Saturday. This was a surprise to Bruce - he hadn’t even realised it had been stolen.
But there was an even bigger surprise awaiting Bruce about 2.20am on Tuesday.
This time it was a hammering on the door of his Onekawa home that startled him from his sleep.
“‘Bruce! Your car’s been stolen!’” his neighbour, who had glimpsed the thieves in action, yelled out to him.
One theft is unlucky. Two thefts of the same car in three days? Bruce, 90, has an inkling he’s a target of the same thieves coming back to take another joyride.
“I’d only just managed to report it to the insurance companies.”
They had smashed the quarterlight window near the back to get in the first time, while also damaging the ignition.
The car has since been found again and is currently sitting with a tow company, but to MacConnell’s knowledge, the culprits are still at large. An insurance assessment is said to take two to five days.
“It’s done a lot of mileage, but it’s taken me wherever I’ve needed to go,” he said of the car.
A humble man, MacConnell is still very active within his community despite his age. He often helps cook meals for one of his community groups, and his car has helped him get to where he needs to be.
Having no car made being able to help even harder.
“If any of us [in the village] lose our car it’s a serious matter,” he said.
“We’re very vulnerable in a place like this.”
Bruce MacConnell stands outside his pensioner flat in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor
MacConnell said the fact the thieves broke into three other cars in the area on Saturday night highlighted the extent of the problem.
Cars further up his street near the front of the pensioner flats had often been targets, he said.
MacConnell’s granddaughter Sarah Hayfield has been helping her grandfather recover from the thefts, offering financial assistance and organisational help.
She herself had experienced devastation during Cyclone Gabrielle and seen first-hand the looting and crime that has occurred.
“My granddad’s 90, and he does a lot for his community. He’s not exactly rich, he’s on a pensioner’s benefit living in a pensioner flat,” she told Hawke’s Bay Today.
“What is Napier coming to?”
She said she was not angry, but sad, for the culprits, and wished people would continue to look out for their community members both old and young.
“I really just want [the criminals] to get some help and we need to do better as a community to support each other.”
Tracks outside Bruce MacConnell's home, where his car was stolen twice within a matter of days. Photo / Paul Taylor
Acting inspector Neale Saunders, area prevention manager for Hawke’s Bay Police, said vehicle theft was an opportunistic crime.
“Unfortunately, people of all ages and from all walks of life can be victimised. We understand how distressing it can be, particularly for those who rely on their vehicle for getting around day-to-day,” he said.
“While police are committed to actively investigating vehicle theft and identifying offenders, the wider community should take precautions to prevent their vehicles from being targeted.”
This included ensuring a vehicle is locked and valuable items were removed or concealed, as well as parking in a well-lit, busy area.
“Anyone that sees suspicious activity around vehicles can call Police on 111 if it’s happening now, or 105 after the fact,” Saunders said.
