Damage to scout den
Hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage was caused when Te Kūiti Scout Group’s headquarters was broken into.
Te Kūiti’s Scout Group members are unhappy after their headquarters was broken into last week. Pictured from left were Daniel Lindsay 11, kaiārahi Jessica Lindsay, Evelyn Lindsay 5, Thabo Masuku, 12, Hunter Lindsay, 8, Clayton Hoyes, 11, Alby Hoyes, 6 and Isaac Hoyes, 9
The group relaunched at the Esplanade just last month after a five-year Covid-induced recess.
King Country News 13 November 2025
The break in, thought to have happened last week between Monday and Saturday has been reported to Te Kūiti police. Thieves used a crowbar to open the front door, bashed in an internal door and forced open a craft cupboard.
It’s a distraction for the group as members prepare to tidy up its headquarters ahead of a December 7 open day designed to recruit youth members and adults to assist them.
Kaiārahi (leader) Jess Lindsay, who recently moved from Te Awamutu, said the theft would leave a dent in group coffers – as the damage needed to be paid for.
“Our hall clean-up is intended to give our little slice of paradise a new lease of life ahead of our open day to show the community a little of our hard work, get our name out there, join our family and get some more youth into the outdoors,” Lindsay said.
Camping and tramping are two of the nine adventure skills offered in the Scouts Aotearoa Youth Programme for youth members aged five to 18.
“This damage brings great sadness to me as we are now not only water blasting footpaths, but we are also having to rebuild doors, repair holes and replace locks that have been cut off. It makes me feel sick that someone else feels like they have the right and need to damage equipment.”
Clayton Hoyes and Daniel Lindsay, 11, and Thabo Masuku, 12, are among those reeling from last week’s break in. Daniel, Jess Lindsay’s son, was disappointed in those responsible.
“It makes me feel sad that the door was broken as we just started the group,” he said. “Everything that we have worked hard on was damaged,” he said.
Clayton said he was angry and confused about why someone would target scouts and Thabo said the incident made him feel sad.
Damage to scout den
