A "massive" front-end loader stolen and then left blocking State Highway 7 near Mawheraiti early yesterday could have had fatal consequences, police say.
The owner recovered the machine yesterday morning and reported the incident to police after it was found blocking the main road south of the Maimai Valley, senior
constable Fred Aplin, of Reefton police, said today.
Motorists who had encountered the "very large" front-end loader blocking their way, forcing them on to the grass verge to get past, had been in touch with police.
Inquiries were continuing but police had "good leads" on the theft of the machine from a local mine and the burglary of the enclosed yard where it was stored.
"It's particularly concerning because this is a massive machine which was left in the middle of the road," Mr Aplin said. "It could have had fatal consequences due to the weather and visibility."
