Kiwis help Rugby World Cup fans after theft

Photo / Thinkstock

When thieves broke into a visiting family's campervan, they took everything - but the crooks unwittingly gave them the holiday of their lives.

Welshman David Holmes and his family travelled from their home in Sydney to support Wales for two weeks during the Rugby World Cup.

Two days into their trip, thieves stole everything the family had brought - including clothes, toys, medication and fruit in the fridge.

But Mr Holmes said he was so touched by New Zealanders' kindness after their ordeal that he wanted to share his story.

The family arrived the day of the opening ceremony, picked up their campervan and headed to their site on the North Shore.

"We spent a fantastic first night among the French rugby fans.

"We sang songs, ate good food and the red wine flowed. My two children ... demonstrated the haka to the French having learnt it at school. The perils of having a Kiwi teacher!"

The next morning Mr Holmes, his wife Sarah, two children - Adam, 10, and Sian, 8 - and family friend Barry Shiels drove to Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter.

"When we arrived [back at the campervan] the window had been smashed and we had been broken into," he said. "They cleaned out absolutely everything - all except my son's homework he'd brought for the trip. They've even taken the fruit out of the fridge. It was empty."

David and Nicole Snook, of Henderson, came across the broken-into campervan as they were coming back from the park with their son, Lochie.

They reported the burglary to the police while they waited for the Holmes family to return.

Mr Snook said he felt embarrassed that someone had taken advantage of a visiting family here for the tournament.

"We just didn't want to let a couple of bad guys ruin their trip, we just did what almost any other Kiwi would do in that situation."

Mr Snook then organised for the campervan's windscreen to be fixed while his wife helped console Adam and Sian who were in tears over their lost toys.

The Henderson family then invited Mr Holmes' family around for a barbecue and offered to let them stay at their house for the night - an offer Mr Holmes said he unfortunately couldn't accept because they needed to buy essentials.

Then just as the Holmes family were leaving the carpark, a man whose nearby car had also been broken into came and pressed a bit of paper into Mr Holmes' hand and said: "Do not look at it until you have driven away."

"We drove away and I looked at the paper. Incredible, it was $300 of Rebel Sports vouchers. We all teared up at the generosity of the people we had just met."

Mr Holmes said that as they were walking around Rebel Sport in Sylvia Park, his son asked: "Dad, everyone has been so nice, can the All Blacks be our second team behind Wales?"

So five new All Blacks fans were born - and Mr Holmes said Adam still has the flag next to his bed at home.

Mr Holmes has been to four World Cups and said this one had been the best by far.

"I guess it took the worst situation for me to be able to see the wonderful kindness of New Zealanders."

HIGHS AND LOWS OF TRIP

THE GOOD
* Couple lent the Holmes family a phone to call police, organised windscreen repair and consoled children.

* Man whose car was broken into gave them $300 of vouchers.

* Woman who overheard their troubles offered coffee and cakes.

* Hospital helped them.

* Waitomo Caves trip easily rebooked.

THE BAD
* Campervan broken into and everything but the clothes they were wearing and school homework stolen.

THE RUGBY
* Every second car had flags.

* Kiwis enthusiastic in adopting teams.

* Great matches and atmosphere.