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Wellsford’s Te Waka Youth Trust is appealing to the public for information after two guitars and a Sony speaker were burgled in a break-in at the trust premises on Sunday, June 23.
Between the stolen items and the cost of repairing a door that was smashed in, the trust has lost $1000.
Manager Melanie Torkington says it’s a big blow for an organisation that doesn’t have spare cash and fundraises for everything it buys.
“I just want to know what makes the thieves think they are more entitled than these kids, who put in the time fundraising to get the musical instruments,” Melanie says.
“With this being a hangout hub, the kids have been teaching each other songs and having jams together, and it has been part of the culture around here. Musical equipment has been an important resource for the self-development of these disadvantaged youth.
“It’s terrible because we have lovely people who make donations for us to buy these things and these thieves are basically robbing the community. A theft like this is worse because it directly affects the kids – it’s not like it was a computer from an admin office.”
The Te Waka Trust is also now having to increase its security with larger locks and increased visits by security guards.
Melanie says the trust just wants the instruments back and if the thieves were to drop them back on the doorstep then no further questions would be asked.
Although the instruments have not yet been replaced, Melanie says she has been touched by a number of offers from the community to lend kids instruments so they can continue to play.
The thieves left the power cable behind for the Sony speaker and there is a possibility they will be trying to obtain a new one, which may provide a lead.
Anyone who knows anything should call police on 105. The case file number is 190624/232.
