Wood thief targets small, storm-hit primary school twice in a week

A thief in a white Ford Ranger ute has driven away with a trailer full of wood meant to help a Manawatū school recover financially from storm damage.

“I’m just sad that someone would do that to a school,” Ōpiki School principal Kirstin Mckenzie said.

The school needs $16,000 to cover costs for a fallen tree, and others found to be rotten after destructive weather earlier this year.

“We don’t have spare money around for that kind of thing,” Mckenzie said.

Ōpiki School near Manawatū caught the thief on CCTV.

A falling tree took out some of the school building around New Year’s Eve, when multiple regions came into the firing line of widespread weather warnings.

The chopped wood had been set aside for a raffle to help cover unexpected storm costs, but the theft had now left a funding gap for the small rural school.

“The kids now won’t have that money,” Mckenzie said.

Ōpiki School is a primary school of 113 students located on the border of Horowhenua and Manawatū.

Early on Sunday morning, a man in a white Ford Ranger ute broke into the school grounds and took a trailer load of wood.

Then, last night, the man came back for more.

Ōpiki School is a small primary school on the border of Horowhenua and Manawatū.

A member of the community had spotted the vehicle back on the school grounds last night and let the principal know.

However, by the time someone was able to get there, the gate was wide open and the man was gone.

CCTV footage showed both the face of the man and the type of car he owned.

“I just didn’t think anyone would be that low to steal from a school,” Mckenzie said.

A large tree fell on the school grounds during a New Years Eve storm.

The school was yet to contact the police, and Mckenzie hoped the thief would make things right.

“I understand someone genuinely may have needed that wood, and I hope that’s the case.”

A simple koha from the thief towards the wood would be sincerely appreciated by the school.

The community has been left disheartened, commenting on the school’s Facebook announcement about the theft with their shock.

“Sorry this happened - so much damage from these storms all over the country. Community goodwill is even more important right now. People are hurting,” one commenter wrote.

“There are sooo many lowlifes out there willing to steal anything,” another said.

Others encouraged the school to go ahead and post the CCTV pictures of the man and vehicle.

Sammy Carter is a journalist for the New Zealand Herald covering news in the Wellington region. She has previously worked at the Rotorua Daily Post.