Waipukurau sports bar targeted by robbers twice in one day

Farriers Arms owners Joy Cooper and Les Michau were victims of an early morning robbery and then an attempted theft just hours later. Photo/ Clinton Llewellyn.

A spate of robberies in Central Hawke's Bay has seen the Farriers Arms broken into twice in the same day.

In the first robbery thousands of dollars was taken, a window was smashed, the door to the office was kicked in and the bar was left in a "real mess".

Constable Andy Walker said the bar was broken into just after 5am yesterday and there was an attempted theft just after midday.

The offender smashed a window near Cervus Equipment to gain access into the Waipukurau bar.

Co-owner Joy Cooper said there was a "monstrous" hole in the door where the person kicked the door down to get in to the office.

"They must have known the place well as they knew to go to the office and they managed to find the key for the safe."

A distinctive plastic cat, which was used to collect tips, was also stolen and Mr Walker asked the public to look out for it.

The tip jar looked like the black and white cat that lived at the bar.

"What a charming chap he must be, it is too much money to be taken from a small business," Ms Cooper said.

Mr Walker said camera footage from inside the Farriers Arms showed the offender was a man, wearing a bandanna, a cap and a hood.

Police and forensics conducted a scene examination yesterday morning and inquiries were ongoing to find the offender.

Following the early morning robbery yesterday afternoon a man who was dressed like a "normal guy off the street" attempted to steal money from the till.

Ms Cooper was in a meeting in the dining room and saw the man, who was initially playing on the pokies, and chased him out of the bar.

"He seemed normal but as there was nobody behind the bar he must have thought he would get away with it."

Luckily Ms Cooper took down his number plate and police in the area managed to track down the car.

Senior constable John Singer said the car was stopped in Otane and a 29-year-old man was arrested.

"He will appear in court later this month."

Meanwhile the Central Hawke's Bay Rugby Sports Club was also hit in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The shed at the club was broken into with their ride-on lawn mower stolen.

Rugby club captain Brian MacIIrich said this was the second time the lawn mower had been targeted.

"A couple of months ago someone broke in and got the mower but decided to abandon it by the stock bank."

This time round the offender or offenders were successful.

"It is very inconvenient as the lawn mower is a crucial part of our club and with the grass growing fast at this time of year we need it."

Mr MacIIrich said they were already halfway through the season with rugby games every week and the Tremain's Rippa Rugby Tournament next Wednesday.

"It is actually just a real pain. We are privately owned so will have to replace the mower if it is not found which will take time and cost money."

Anyone with information can contact Mr Walker at the Waipukurau Police Station or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.