Support and more than $5000 in donations have poured in for Moerewa's burgled butcher, who says he is "absolutely amazed" by the response.
Greg 'Jacko' Jackson, the owner of Jacko's Discount Meats, turned up at his Moerewa store last week Wednesday to find burglars had smashed through the back wall and emptied his store of meat worth $6000. They also took his knives and cash.
Mr Jackson said it was the third raid on his store in three years, making him wonder if he'd be better off on the dole. Since then, however, his faith in humanity had been restored by a flood of donations and support.
His daughter Jaime Page-Wood, a teacher aide in Albany, set up a Givealittle page saying she couldn't bear to see a hard-working man ruined by thieves. She said her father provided the town with a good service and urged donors to help his business back onto its feet.
As of noon yesterday 111 people had donated a total of $5149. She had even been contacted by ex-pat Kiwi Tim Yee, now the general manager of a Singapore firm which imports chef's equipment, who said he had read the Advocate story about Mr Jackson's predicament and wanted to help. He offered to ship a replacement set of knives from Germany to Moerewa.
Mr Jackson said he was "rapt and absolutely amazed" by the response.
"I'm feeling a lot better now. It shows people really do care and they want you to fight back, not to give in."
Moerewa residents had seen enough businesses and services go and didn't want to lose another. Many had come into his shop to say how sorry they were.
"I've had people just about crying in here, they're so sad about what's happened."
Initially he didn't have money to replace his stock but now he expected to be fully back in business by the end of the week.
He didn't know about his daughter's Givealittle page until a few days ago.
Earlier he told the Advocate he believed the break-in was by youths stealing to pay for the drug P or methamphetamine.