Fairy robbed of gowns, costumes

Photo / Thinkstock

Samantha Carter has been left distraught at the loss of her wedding dress, which was among gowns and costumes stolen from The Fairy House at the Historic Village in Tauranga at the weekend.

The mother of three says about 30 gowns, 15 children's costumes, two wedding dresses and six wigs had been taken from her business, as well as Barbie dolls and a mask made in Venice for her birthday last year.

"Some of them I've been collecting since I was 14, like every ball gown I've ever worn, every pageant dress I've ever had. Some were brand new."

Mrs Carter fought back tears yesterday as she described the three most sentimental dresses she had lost, including her wedding dress and two handbeaded ball gowns from the United States - one worth more than $1000. "I'm sentimental about everything so I'm just devastated they're gone," she said.

Mrs Carter was at The Fairy House, a wooden house next to Detour Theatre, on Saturday and suspects the burglary occurred between 5pm and 3pm the following day.

Mrs Carter's main business is hosting children's dress-up birthday parties and the occasional women's party. She had been planning to hire out her collection of gowns for balls.

She estimates the stolen items are worth $5000 to $8000, and many were one of a kind.

She said her 5-year-old daughter was particularly upset at the theft of a blue, handbeaded dress.

Mrs Carter said because her business was relatively new she had not yet insured the gowns and costumes or installed an alarm.

- APN