“SIGNIFICANT force” was required to break the doors to Te Kūiti’s mail room on Tuesday morning, but it was unclear in early investigations what that force was. PHOTO SUPPLIED
HEAVY wooden doors were left smashed in Te Kūiti on Tuesday morning after the NZ Post mail sorting room was broken into. Russell Aldridge of Te Kūiti Museum and Gallery was alerted at about 6am of the break-in next to the museum. Police said it was unclear how access was gained to the room, but Russell thought a vehicle might have been driven into the doors. “It looks to me like they backed something into the door. “It’s a really bloody solid door.” He said the door had been reinforced several times over with steel panels and it’s thought the door might have been levered until the metal broke. People associated with the museum were at the scene on Tuesday morning completing repairs to the doors to get them functioning and secure again until they could be replaced with big metal ones. Russell pointed out an external camera had been knocked out of action sometime prior to the incident and security lights had been pointed up, away from the door. Te Kūiti police sergeant Craig Lindstrom said on Tuesday the incident was still under investigation. He said at that stage it was unclear how the doors had been damaged and CCTV footage would be reviewed when it became available. “There has been substantial damage to the structure which would have required significant force,” he said. It was suggested parcels had been stolen from the room, but Craig said police had not yet been able to detail what had been taken and they were working with NZ Post.
