'I think the nation's anger will grow'

War medals stolen from Waiouru are the "whakapapa of our New Zealand military", says New Zealand First MP Ron Mark.

"It's national taonga," he said yesterday in Palmerston North.

Nine Victoria Crosses were among 100 medals stolen from the army museum.

Reports suggest the heist early on Sunday morning was well- planned and executed.

"If it was a professional hit, you have to consider the possibility the medals may already be out of the country, " Mr Mark said.

Mr Mark said the medals had previously been taken for granted.

"They were available to see at any time and they've been ripped from us."

Mr Mark, raised in Pahiatua, is a former Linton soldier. He retired as a Major in 1990. "The infantry, in particular, looked upon Charlie Upham and Jack Hinton as their ultimate role models . . . I think the [nation's] anger will grow."

Prime Minister Helen Clark has called the burglary a crime against the nation.

Massey University Defence Studies associate professor Glyn Harper said the theft had the hallmarks of a professional burglary.

"The thieves were only there for a short time and whoever took them knew which medals to take - those most valuable to New Zealand."

Dr Harper said though the medals can be replaced, they might not have the same mana as the originals.

The recovery rate for medals stolen in the past has not been good, he said.

Dr Harper, who wrote a book about New Zealand's Victoria Cross winners, said he was stunned, saddened and then angered by the burglary.

"This is a serious crime. It is a tragedy for New Zealand that these medals have been taken, particularly if they're not recovered."

- © Fairfax NZ News