Diggers hotwired, taken for joyride

By MIKE MATHER in Rotorua
Two small diggers at the site of the new Rotorua Energy Events Centre were hotwired and taken for a joyride early yesterday morning.

The $16 million redevelopment of the Rotorua Sportsdrome suffered a setback after the vandals broke into the construction site.

The diggers were taken for a joyride through nearby scrubland. some trucks also parked at the site were broken into although it appears nothing had been taken.

A much larger digger had also been broken into, however there had apparently been no attempt to hotwire it.

Some time after midnight the vandals smashed their way into the site through a three-metre high section of a security fence.

A contractor working on the site, who did not wish to be named, said the damage had only been discovered yesterday morning when he and a colleague had stopped by the site to pick up a truck.

He was surprised the vandals had been so bold as the construction site was floodlit during the night and was regularly patrolled by security guards.

People may also have seen a flashing yellow light on top of one of the diggers which was activated whenever it was switched on, he said.

Management of the Auckland-based construction company Mainzeal, which also oversees the security of the event centre site, were unable to be contacted.

Rotorua police are investigating the vandalism.

The events centre plans include seating for more than 3000 people - three times as many as the Sportsdrome now caters for. A mezzanine floor area would be able to be converted to either three or five "breakout" rooms for events such as conferences, and another room would be able to seat about 720 people in a "classroom-style conference layout".

There will be car parking for nearly 1000 cars.