Thieves hijack Bennett's Hill picnic table

The audacious theft of a slab pine picnic table from a Bennett's Hill layby has outraged travellers, and those who donated it to Masterton.
Overnight Sunday, thieves drove a vehicle up to where the table had been installed in December last year and loaded it on to what is thought to have been a tandem trailer to take it away.
Galvanised bolts securing the table to its concrete pad had been cut through, although that could have been done some time before Sunday night.
The table was donated to the town by Masterton Host Waipoua Lions Club, having been made by Slab City, at a cost of $1800.
It weighs about half a tonne and needs several people to lift it.
Lion's project chairman Wayne Fleming said he had been told of its disappearance by his daughter who had noticed it missing as she drove past the rest area.
Since then many others had reported it missing and Masterton police had been told.
Mr Fleming said the table was very well used and appreciated by the travelling public.
"Lots of people heading to the coast would stop there for a picnic.
"It was used every day, as there are great views from there."
He said when the table had been first taken to the layby it was so heavy it had to be jacked up on to a heavy trailer and when on-site a front-end loader was used to take it off the trailer and to position it.
"That's how we know this was not the work of one man.
"There had to be several people involved."
The Lion's Club was about to adorn the table with a plaque telling travellers of the club's donation.
"We wouldn't be doing that now, of course."
Masterton District Council's parks and reserves officer Rosanne Heyes said the people living in the area had long wanted a picnic table put there, and the Lion's Club had obliged by making it a club project.
"People using it thoroughly enjoyed it, and the views from it."
She said she hopes the table, by being so distinctive, would be easily recognised if the thieves tried to install it elsewhere or on-sell it.