House stripped while woman visits dying grandfather

A Hawke's Bay woman was in Rotorua visiting her sick grandfather when her home was completely "stripped."

A woman visiting Rotorua to be with her dying grandfather discovered her Hawke's Bay house was "stripped" by thieves in her absence, her family says.

Rewa Morrison said her granddaughter Chevy Lee Morrison was staying in Rotorua because her husband, (Chevy Lee's grandfather) Tamehana Morrison, was ill in a hospice.

Chevy Lee had been in Rotorua for about a week, taking leave from her job as a chef in Napier to be with her family.

"All my family are gathered here in Rotorua, beside my ailing husband, and thieves have ripped off my granddaughter's home in Flaxmere while she's been here," Ms Morrison said.

"She was away from her home for the sake of her dying grandfather."

On Monday, relatives had travelled to Chevy Lee's house to pick up some extra clothes, only to find it had been "stripped" by thieves.

About $6000 worth of items had been taken from the house, which Chevy Lee shared with one of her nephews.

"They found the house stripped - fridge, microwave, washing machine, electric jug and TVs were all gone.

"The only thing they left was her lounge suite."

She said the family was shocked by the burglary, especially given the traumatic time at which the thieves had chosen to strike.

"We were just stumped. We just could not believe it.

"They had to have a truck or a big trailer.

"We don't deserve it.

"We've been good people all our lives in Hawke's Bay."

The family had not yet reported the burglary to the police.

* Police recommend always locking your home before you go away, as burglars often enter through unlocked doors or windows.

They also take advantage of weak locks, so it is advisable to use a reputable locksmith to install high-quality locks. Sensor lights are a good security device because they light up automatically.