Kerikeri petrol thieves stoop to new low as hospice car targeted

Hospice Mid Northland staff and volunteers gutted by the theft include (from left): clinical co-ordinator Lisa Puru, volunteer Megan Haynes, nurse Lorraine Parker and facilities co-ordinator Suz Fitch, pictured with their one remaining clinical car. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Shameless petrol thieves in Kerikeri have been drilling holes in vehicle petrol tanks and siphoning out the contents — leaving the owners stranded and having to stump up for the cost of repairs.

The thefts have been occurring for several weeks, but on Tuesday night, the offenders stooped to a new low by targeting a charity that helps terminally ill Northlanders.

Hospice Mid Northland chief executive Belinda Watkins said thieves entered the organisation’s property on Kerikeri Rd at 9.13pm on Tuesday night, drilled a hole in the fuel tank of a clinical car, and drained petrol from it.

The cost of repairs would be “massive”, and until the car could be fixed, Hospice couldn’t provide services to the people who need them most.

At the time, Hospice Mid Northland’s on-call nurse was using another vehicle to visit a dying patient.

“It’s pretty disgusting. The theft is a kick in the teeth for everyone who volunteers, donates, and gives their time and energy to us. It has real consequences for vulnerable people,” Watkins said.

It also put hospice staff in danger, because the vehicle got stuck at a service station and was leaking petrol when an employee tried to fill it up.

Earlier on Tuesday, another petrol theft came to light when visitors holidaying in Kerikeri noticed their fuel indicator light come on unexpectedly.

They drove to the Caltex service station at the corner of Kerikeri Rd and Hobson Ave about 12.40pm on Tuesday and tried to fill up.

However, the fuel gushed straight out of the tank onto the station forecourt.

The Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called out to avert any danger and help mop up.

Fire chief Les Wasson said the cause of the leak was a hole drilled in the fuel tank. Police were notified.

One of the petrol thefts came to light when tourists tried to fill up at a Caltex in Kerikeri, only to find petrol gushing from a hole drilled into the tank. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The Advocate was told more than 20 vehicles had so far been targetted in the Kerikeri area — especially around Cobham Rd and Hobson Ave — but that number could not be verified.

However, one towing firm said it had towed five vehicles in the past week from service stations in Kerikeri and Waipapa.

All five were found to have a 13-millimetre hole drilled in the tank.

One Kerikeri automotive workshop said a number of cars had been brought in during the past month as a result of fuel thefts, but in those cases, the fuel inlet pipes had been cut before the petrol was siphoned out.

As of Thursday, three vehicles were waiting to be repaired.

The affected vehicles were owned by a mix of tourists, locals and businesses, including contractors and a power company.

Similar fuel thefts have reportedly occurred in Paihia, but that could not be immediately verified.

CCTV footage shows the suspects’ vehicle entering Hospice Mid Northland’s property on Kerikeri Rd.

A police spokesperson said a vehicle believed to have been involved in the Hospice fuel theft had been recovered and was undergoing forensic examination. Inquiries into the theft and vehicle damage were continuing.

Anyone with information about the incident was urged to call police on the non-emergency number 105 or file a report online at www.police.govt.nz/use-105, quoting file number 230126/0953.

Information could also be passed to Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Hospice Mid Northland provides free palliative care to people nearing the end of their lives. The organisation receives 35 per cent of its funding from the Government, but has to raise the remaining $1.3 million itself.

Watkins said the organisation was grateful for the “huge amount of support” it had received after going public about the petrol theft and vehicle damage. That included people donating money to replace the stolen petrol.