Opinion: Thieves' actions have heartbreaking results

Karen Bennett's house was broken into and her dead cat's ashes stolen. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

Theft is theft. But some rankle more than others.

The theft of Coastguard Rotorua gear earlier this week was one example. Thieves stole about $1500 worth of emergency equipment from president Barry Grouby's vehicle while it was parked in the carpark between Tikitapu (Blue Lake) and Rotokakahi (Green Lake).

That someone would steal gear clearly belonging to Coastguard - an organisation that saves people's lives - may seem unbelievable, but if past stories have taught us anything it's that there is no honour among thieves.

The potential impact of that theft came into stark focus the following day, when Coastguard was called upon to join the search for a man missing in Lake Rotoiti.

Thankfully Mr Grouby was able to "beg and borrow" the gear needed, but it was surely an unnecessary distraction in those initial hours when a man's life was at stake.

Also today, we report on another head-scratching theft in Rotorua.

When thieves took a wooden box marked Milo, you have to wonder what they thought they were getting. It turned out to be the ashes of Karen Bennett's beloved cat, which she had planned to have scattered alongside her own one day.

War medals and coins of great sentimental value to the family were also among the haul, but it was the loss of the ashes that broke Mrs Bennett's heart.

Also this week came reports someone had broken into a Waikato couple's home, stealing meat from two chest freezers and their 8-month-old twins' placentas.

While the meat was worth a couple of grand, it was the loss of the placentas, which they had planned to bury in accordance with cultural traditions, the couple were understandably most upset by.

All these things are worthless to thieves, when compared to what they mean to their owners. Sadly with many theft and burglary cases unsolved, chances are the culprits will go on to commit more stupid - and potentially devastating - thefts in the future.